My Driver
by Edwardforever2
Summary: When Bella goes out for a night out on the town with her friends after losing her job she desperately tries to drown her sorrows in a bottle. When she finally gives up on drinking her problems away and decides to take a taxi home she finds herself sitting in the backseat staring into the most beautiful green eyes she has ever seen, only she's not in a taxi!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Beta'd by princess07890**

**Chapter 1**

**Unexpectedly Unemployed**

**BPOV**

"I don't understand; if I am one of the best Marketing Directors you have ever had, why am I being fired?!" I said, trying to hold the tears at bay and sounding weak to even my own ears.

"Bella, you make it sound so harsh; we are _downsizing_ and unfortunately we only have room for one director."

"But, Mike, Jessica Stanley just graduated from college a year ago! A year ago Mike! I have been working for this firm for 8 years now! SHE WASN'T EVEN IN HIGH SCHOOL YET MIKE!" I yelled, not able to control the tears from falling while my chest heaved up and down.

Mike got up from his chair, walked around his desk, and took the seat next to me in front of his desk. He placed his hand on my knee which made my skin crawl from the contact. Mike is the President of Newton Marketing, which is a subsidiary of H&M Marketing & Advertising Firm, and my current boss, who just became my ex-boss. He took over 2 years ago after his father's untimely death.

"Bella, calm down please; I don't like to see you so upset. Maybe, if you're nice enough to me I can find you another position within the same department. I'm sure if we put our heads together, we can come to some kind of compromise." Mike said, while running his finger up and down my knee and for a few seconds, I just stared at his hand, unable to move and in disbelief of what I was hearing.

See, Jessica Stanley is Mike's newest recruit and his "personal whore" for all intentS and purposes. In just one year, she has managed to sleep her way up from an entry level marketing/consulting position, to my now former position as Director of Marketing and Advertising. This I'm sure is due to all the nights she volunteered to stay late to and work on _"special projects"_ for Mike.

"Wait, so let me get this straight. You want me to entertain the idea of taking another position in this department where Jessica will not only be the Director, but my boss as well?!"

"Bella, you shouldn't look at it like that; there are a lot of client accounts that Jessica will need your help with. You know, until she learns the ropes for herself." Mike said, still running his finger up and down my knee, which, at this point, has me both furious and nauseous at the same time.

As I lift up my head to look at him, I become even more infuriated when I see the cocky smirk on his face. The one that says, "I know you need this job and won't turn down my offer." But, he couldn't be more wrong and looking at his disgusting face and feeling his annoying touch only strengthens my resolve. Before I can even thinks about what I am doing, I've slapped Mike's hand away and am now standing up ready, to leave his office.

"I studied hard at NYU for that degree hanging on my wall in my office and I graduated Summa Cum Laude! I worked my butt off day and night when I came to this firm and I closed twice as many deals than any consultant on my level and certainly more than Jessica Stanley has! My moving up the ranks in this company was nothing other than my consistent dedication to giving my very best and always doing what was in the best interest of the firm and not myself. Your father, may God rest his soul, ran this company with dignity and integrity; he treated every employee with respect and would never promote an individual for any other reason besides hard work. You, on the other hand, are a heartless, shallow, _creep_ who considers a late night office blow job as a valuable skill and an asset to this firm. Well, let me make myself very clear, Michael, I have never and will never sleep my way to the top of any company! So, you and your little slut Jessica can both grab hands and kiss my ass! Good day!" I said, poking him in his chest as his name rolled off my tongue like venom, before storming out of his office and slamming the door.

Outside of his office I was met with several stares, but only one caught my attention. There standing with a skirt barely covering her thighs and a blouse that left nothing to the imagination was the devil herself, Jessica Stanley.

"Hello Bella, you don't look so well; if you'd like, I could give you the rest of the day off to get yourself together. I'll have a couple of the guys from the mailroom move your things to the smaller office down the hall and you can organize it tomorrow." Jessica said, walking up to me with a smug grin on her face.

"Jessica, that won't be necessary; you see, unlike you, I can find another job, because I actually know a thing or two about marketing and advertising and I'm good at it. You, on the other hand, will be out on your ass, as soon and the next young, hot piece of ass comes through those doors. Then what will you do? We both know you don't have a _clue_ about how to retain clients." I said, turning on my heels and walking to my office to pack my things.

When I closed my office door, I collapsed in my chair and let the sobs take over, because, to be honest, I loved my job and I was devastated. I quickly threw the few photos of my mom and dad into the box on my desk along with a few other items that belonged to me and not the firm. I looked in the mirror hanging on the back of the door and fixed my makeup before exiting my office and making my final trip to the elevator. Once I was out the building, I quickly haled a taxi and headed home to wallow in self pity.

I pulled out my cell to call my mom, because, more than anything, I needed to hear her voice right now.

"Bella, darling, what's going on? Why do you sound like you're crying?" My mother asked, in her usual worried tone. So, I lied, so I wouldn't cause her any more worry than necessary. My mother and father already hated that I lived so far away from them in New York; and they live in San Jose, California.

"I'm fine mom, just tired that's all; where's dad?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"He went golfing with Billy; he should be back home soon though. How is everything in the 'Big Apple'?"

"Um, good, things are… good mom. I was just calling to check on you guys; tell dad I said hello and I'll call again on the weekend."

"Bella, you'll never guess who's back in California." My mom said, sounding a little too eager.

"Who, mom?"

"Jacob Black, you remember him don't you? He's Billy's son and my, my, my, is he handsome as ever, especially in his Marine uniform. He just came home from Japan and I was thinking maybe you could come visit one weekend soon while he is home. He was always crazy about you Bella." My mom said, playing matchmaker, as usual, with me.

According to her, if I did not settle down soon, she would never see grandchildren. Apparently, at 31, I am waiting too late in life to get married and have kids; they are the last things on my list of priorities right now.

"Mom, I can't; I have a lot going on right now."

"Bella, if you keep working the way you do, you will never have time for a relationship and before you know it, you'll be past 40, wondering where the years went. Honey, it's okay to slow down and take some time for yourself." She said, giving me the same speech that I've heard for the past 5 years.

"Mom, please stop being so dramatic and I will settle down when the time is right for _me_, okay?"

"Fine, but you know your father and I only want you to be happy, Bella."

"And I am, mom; so don't worry, please. I'll talk to you guys soon." I said, before ending my call with her.

Once I was home, I placed the box with my things from the office next to the door and lay on my couch throwing my arm over my eyes. What was I going to do now that I am unexpectedly unemployed? Don't get me wrong, I have a savings account and can probably manage for the next 6 months as long as I don't do any crazy spending and then there's my 401k that I can use some of if things really get bad. I took out my phone and quickly dialed my best friend, Alice's number. She answered on the first ring, as usual.

"Bella, how the hell are you? You want to meet for lunch?"

"He fired me Alice; the bastard actually fired me today." I said, letting the tears flow again.

"Are you kidding me?!" Alice asked, sounding quite appalled.

"Hmph, I wish I were, but, no, I'm not kidding at all."

"Aww, sweetie I'm so sorry; are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, I just need to find another job." I said, swiping the tears from my face.

"After everything you did for that company, how dare he? His father would kill him if he were alive."

"I know, right?"

"Listen, honey, I'm coming to get you and we are going to have a night out on me. Don't think about that job or that sorry excuse of an ex-boss of yours; he probably did you a favor, Bella. Have you called Tanya yet?"

"No, I just got home not too long ago and I don't know about going out tonight, Alice. I think I just want to stay in tonight."

"Come on, Bella, you need this and it has been a while since we all went out; I'll pick you up at 8, okay?

"Fine, Alice, but I'm not staying out late tonight." I said, before hanging up.

Maybe Alice is right; maybe I do need a night out to just relax and enjoy myself. I mean, who knows what the night could bring?

**A/N: Ok, so here is my new story. Please tell me your thoughts? What do you guys think? Please leave a review and tell me if I should continue. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Beta'd by princess07890**

**Chapter 2**

**Blame it on the Alcohol**

**BPOV**

As Alice had promised, she was promptly at my door at 8 p.m. with my other bestie, Tanya, in tow. I answered the door still wrapped in a towel from my shower. Let's just say Alice wasn't happy at all.

"Really, Bella?! Come on honey, get dressed; do I need to come and help you?" she asked, putting her hand on her hips.

"NO! Absolutely not; I can dress myself Alice just fine." I said, walking into my closet, looking for the perfect dress to wear.

As I skimmed over my wardrobe, my eyes landed on a navy blue sequin dress that stopped mid thigh and had spaghetti straps. I grabbed the dress, along with a small navy clutch, and, a pair of navy blue heels that I had worn for another friend's wedding, they matched the dress perfectly. After getting dressed, I looked at my still damp hair and decided to put it up in a bun with a few wisps of hair hanging down. I put on some mascara, lip gloss, and a tiny bit of blush for a very sexy, but very natural look. Once I was satisfied with my appearance, I grab my keys, ID, and credit card, throw them in my small clutch, along with my cell phone, and we head out for the night.

Thirty minutes later, we are standing outside of Provocateur, one of the most elite and exclusive clubs in Manhattan. The crowd is a mixture of sophisticated upscale socialites, European looking businessmen, and successful fashion models, Alice is a fashion designer, so she knows many of the models. However, this club is so exclusive that I don't know if even she has the connections to get us in.

"Alice, this club has a guest list and if you're not on…"

"Alice Brandon and two guests," Alice tells the security at the door while never taking her eyes off of me.

"Yes, right this way Ms. Brandon; you ladies enjoy your evening."

Alice smiles and winks at me as the security guy unhooks the red velvet rope to let us by. Once inside, we were led to a private sitting area by a waitress, who immediately takes our drink orders. She returned shortly with our drinks on a tray and another waitress holding a tray of mixed appetizers for us.

This club's atmosphere oozes of money and power from every corner from both the women and men. Scanning the room, I felt out of my element being surrounded by so many beautiful faces all looking as if they had just finished an exclusive photo shoot for Vogue or ELLE magazine. Trying to relax and remotely enjoy my night, I take a couple of big gulps of my Margarita and pop a couple of the appetizers in my mouth, not even bothering to notice what they are.

After finishing off my first drink and half way through the second, I felt a lot more comfortable and actually started to enjoy myself. The music was now sounding good to me and I had even started swaying back and forth in my chair. As I looked around the club again at the flashing lights and all the beautiful people moving their bodies to the house music the DJs were ripping through the speakers, I realized Alice was right. I needed this night out to relax, have fun, and just enjoy life.

"Someone looks like she's having fun!" Alice said, grinning ear to ear, while sipping her mixed drink.

"How can she not enjoy being in this place with all these beautiful, sexy, powerful, and rich men?" Tanya said, and the three of us started giggling.

"Alice, you made it." The three of us all looked up to see a very handsome, well dressed man with blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, smiling at non-other than Ms. Fashion herself, Alice.

Alice smiled back at him, but not her usual polite smile, no, this smile was different. It was sexy and filled with mirth. She stood and walked over to him and he grabbed both her hands and kissed her forehead, an act that has always been so endearing to me. This caused her to giggle a little and smile even more.

"I told you I would be here tonight; thank you for adding us to the guest list. I've always wanted to check out this place; it's really nice. I'm enjoying myself." Alice said, still grinning like a fool and so was he! Not to mention they were still holding hands and Alice had yet to introduce us.

Tanya and I looked at each other before Tanya cleared her throat, causing Alice to jump slightly.

"Oh, Jasper, let me introduce you to my two best friends; this is Bella and Tanya. Guys, this is Jasper; he is part owner of this wonderful establishment." Alice said, with a twinkle in her eyes that I hadn't seen in a long time.

"Nice to meet you, Jasper." Tanya and I said at the same time.

"The pleasure is all mine; any friend of this amazing woman is alright in my book." He finished, placing a kiss on the back of Tanya's hand and then mine, before returning his attention to Alice. Tanya and I turned and stared at each other and she mouthed _"what the fuck!" _to me as we both tried to figure out when and where did Jasper happen! I mean this guy was one charming piece of work and, to top things off, he owned one of the most exclusive clubs in Manhattan.

"I have some business to attend to in my office, but I'll be back to check on you, later, okay? He said, placing another kiss to Alice's forehead, letting his lips linger just a little longer this time. He then turned to us with that gorgeous smile and said, "Ladies, enjoy your evening and please let me know if I can do anything to make you visit more pleasurable." With one final stroke of his finger to Alice's cheek, he walked away.

After staring at him walking away, Alice finally turned her attention back to us and sat back down, picked up her drink, and avoided eye contact with either one of us.

"It really is a nice club,… right?" Alice said, smiling at us.

"Don't even try it missy! Where the hell did he come from and why are we just now finding out about him." I asked, looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"You have been holding out on us, and now it's time to spill the beans!" Tanya exclaimed, giving her the same look.

"What? Jasper is a really good friend and one of my best clients. I designed a couple of suits for him and his father, who owns this club with him." She explained, now looking nervous while still sipping on her drink.

"Client, my ass; not with the way he looked at you. That man is not looking to be you friend or client." Tanya said, and we all started laughing.

"Seriously, Alice, did you see the look in his eyes; he totally adores you!" I said, feeling happy for her. Alice is one of the sweetest people I have ever met and she deserves for someone to adore her.

"I know, and I adore him." She admitted, beaming at us.

So, for the next hour, she sat and told us the story of how and when they met as we went through another two rounds of drinks.

By the time, she finished, we were pass buzzed and moved to the dance floor, moving our bodies to the music. Jasper joins Alice while Tanya and I dance with each other. I hadn't felt this alive and carefree in years and I couldn't stop smiling right now. I was sure the alcohol was to blame for this euphoria I felt. We danced until we were literally out of breath and then we made our way back to our private booth. As the night continued, I remembered having my seventh Margarita and felt quite inebriated.

Just as I was starting to believe this night out was just what I needed, I looked up and saw the last face on Earth I wanted, or needed, to see, Jessica Stanley.

"Well, well, well, Bella, I must say I'm shocked to see you out in a place like this. Now, let's see, would you be out celebrating or drowning your sorrows?" She said, tapping her finger on her chin. For the life of me, I couldn't get my brain to work fast enough to give a witty reply, so silence was my response. Her two friends with her giggling by her side did not help matters.

"In any case, I hope you're watching your spending habits; you wouldn't want to go broke, you know since you're unemployed." She said, with that same smug grin from earlier on her face.

And there it was; the reality that I had tried to forget for just a little while. I could feel the tears prickle my eyes and I fought hard to not give her the satisfaction of seeing me upset.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Alice stepped in, seeing how upset I was; she looked quite appalled herself.

"Jessica; Jessica Stanley." She said, holding out her hand to Alice in which Alice just stared at it.

"Ah, yes, of course, Jessica Stanley, aka _"late night office blow job queen",_ I do recall Bella mentioning you now." Alice said, tapping her temple and looking at me. When I looked at Jessica, her smug grin was gone and replaced with a sneer. Jasper suddenly walked up behind them.

"Is there a problem, ladies?" He said, addressing Jessica and her friends.

"No problem, Jazz, they were just leaving." Alice said, now sporting the smug grin.

"We would like a private booth." Jessica said, turning to Jasper.

"I'm sorry, ladies, our private booths are for exclusive guests only. However, I'm sure I can find seats for you at our bar. I'll have a waitress walk you over." Jasper said, while waving one of the cocktail waitresses over and then he turned his attention back to us.

"Thank you, Jasper, I really appreci…"

"No need to thank me; I will not tolerate anyone upsetting you or your guests in my club." He said, cutting her off before winking at Alice and walking away.

Suddenly, I didn't feel so well, anymore and I just wanted to go home.

"Guys, I've had a little too much to drink; I think I'm going to head home." I said, and the words sounded quite slurred, even to my ears.

"Okay, just let me tell Jasper I'm leav…"

"No, I'll be fine, guys; please stay and enjoy yourselves… I'm just tired; it's been a long day. I'll get a taxi and I'll call when I make it home.

"Are you sure?" Tanya asked.

"Yes, I'm positive." I said, standing up and giving each of them a hug.

I started walking towards the door and each step became harder than the last. The room started to spin slightly and the door appeared so far away. When I finally stepped outside, I gasped for air, my lungs felt constricted from holding in my sobs. I ran to the first taxi I saw and jumped inside, rattled off my address to the driver quickly, and let the flood gates open finally.

After a few minutes, I realized the taxi I was in was not moving and the driver apparently had said something to me, but I was having a hard time comprehending his words. I looked up to see the most beautiful green eyes I have ever seen in my life staring back at me with confusion in them. I could see the owner of said eyes mouth moving, but, I heard no sound. As the sobs continued, I repeated my address and did my best to talk as clearly as I could.

"Please… take me home."

**A/N: Alright guys leave me your thoughts on chapter 2. Next chapter will be EPOV. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**First of all I want to thank all my readers who left reviews and I loved reading every one of them! You guys are awesome! Now I want to answer some questions some of you have.**

**I don't really have specific posting days, but I will give you at least two chapters per week, if not more. It really depends on my schedule, as well as my beta's schedule. This story will not have as many chapters as my last story "Till You Love Me" because the chapters are longer. I expect this story to have between 20-25 chapters, but that could change and I will let my readers know as we get further in the story. This story will have angst, but not too much; Bella and Edward will always get their HEA. Again, thank you for the support, it means so much to me to see and read what you guys think. And now without further ado… **

**Beta'd by princess07890**

**Chapter 3**

**First Encounters**

**EPOV**

"_Please… take me home." _

Does this woman hear anything I've said to her? I've tried to tell her twice that she has made a mistake getting into the back of my limo, but she is crying so much she's not listening to me. Her words are

slurred and she has black shit running down her face from her tears. I can only assume she has been drinking way past her limit and some asshole has broken her heart and now I have to deal with her in her drunken state. I don't have time for this mess; I should have never let Jacob talk me into dropping off his client for him.

"Excuse me, Miss, this is not a taxi and I'm not a taxi driver; I'm sure a valet can get you a taxi if you need one."

"169 Forest Dr.; I…I'll p…pay you d…d…double p…please, just t…take me h…h…home!" The woman said, slurring, hiccupping, and stuttering like a broken record.

At this point, I was becoming increasingly annoyed with this woman, and as I turned around to face her so that I can sternly make myself clear, she finally looked up at me. For a moment, I was frozen as I took in her beautiful face; her flushed cheeks, pink pouty lips that were now trembling, a cute button nose, and her eyes! Wow, her big beautiful brown eyes drew me in with each passing second. Staring into her eyes, my resolve faltered and there was just no way I could put this woman out of my limo and leave her to fend for herself; at least not in the state she was in.

"Alright, alright, just, calm down, please; I'll drive you home, but I don't want any trouble. So, please tell me now, is there a boyfriend or husband waiting at home for you that I will have to encounter?" I asked, because I was tired and just wanted to go home and sleep. The last thing I wanted to deal with was a jealous boyfriend or husband getting mad because I drove her home.

"I… I don't h…have a boyfriend o…or h…husband." She said, softly looking down into her lap while wringing her hands together.

"Good, err… I mean… it's good if that's what you want or like; you know, being single." I said, sounding dumb to even my own ears, so I just shut up and started the car.

We drove in complete silence for the first ten minutes of the drive to her house and she continued to sob softly in the back seat. I glanced in the rearview mirror at her a few times. Each time, she was staring out the window. My mind told me to not ask any questions; I just needed to get her home safely and leave it at that. But watching her cry and being so sad was pulling at my heart strings.

"You know, you were probably too good for him anyway." I said, trying to make her feel better, because there was no doubt in my mind that some man had hurt her and now she was crying because she felt worthless; asshole didn't even have the decency to get her home after dumping her.

"W…what? She said, finally looking away from the window and at me in the rearview mirror.

"I said, you were probably too good for him anyway; he didn't deserve you, especially if he makes you feel this bad and just leaves you by yourself."

"What are… I…I don't know what y…you are t…talking about." She said, still slightly stuttering from all the crying.

"You're crying because you got dumped, right? I mean, you had a break up tonight, right?" I asked, once again putting my foot in my mouth.

She stared at me for a few moments and then she turned back to the window before answering.

"No, I'm not crying because a man broke my heart; every time a woman cries, it's not always about a

man! There is a lot more to life than that; out of all the problems I have, a man isn't one of them. Now she looked angry, and I instantly regretted assuming I knew what was bothering her.

I wracked my brain, trying to come up with something to say to correct my mistake, and so I said the first thing that came to my mind.

"Hey, sometimes men can cause good problems, if you have the right one." I said, glancing at her once again through my rearview mirror.

"Well, if something is good, it's not a problem, and if it's a problem, then it's probably not good." She said, looking back at me and giving me a very weak, but a smile, nevertheless.

I guess you've got a point there." I said chuckling, pulling up in front of her building.

Since I'm a limo driver, it usually helps to know your way around an area. I put the car in park and killed the engine, before turning to face her.

"So, here you are, home." I explained, pointing out the window towards her building, from the look on her face, she didn't even realize the car had stopped, let alone, that we were at her house.

She turned to look out the window and just stared for several seconds with that same sad look on her face.

"Do you need help getting out?" I asked, wondering why she was still just sitting there.

"H…how much do I…I owe y…you and where is the m…meter that tells me m…my fare?" she asked, still slurring her words.

"I'm sorry Miss… uh…" I don't even know her name!

"B…Bella… my name is Bella." She said, still looking down rummaging through her purse for, what I assumed to be, money to pay for her _'fare'._

"Bella, there is no fare. In case you have not realized it yet, you did not hop into the back of a taxi. This is a limo, _my_ limo; I know it's smaller than most stretch limos, but it's still a limo." I said, offering a small smile.

She stopped looking through her purse and for the first time, she looked up and took in her surroundings with wide eyes. When she finally turned to look back at me, her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip began to tremble. She looked so sad and lost at the moment, but then she quickly swiped at the tears on her face and took in several deep breaths before speaking.

"Wow, you m…must think I'm an i…idiot; mistaking a limo for a t…taxi." She stuttered, looking out the window, still slightly shocked while shaking her head and chuckling to herself.

I sat quietly observing Bella, not really knowing what to say. She turned her head to look at me again.

"I'm not usually like t…this. I'm smart and s…strong; I take care of m…myself, w…well." She said, as a fresh round of tears started.

"Bella, I don't know what happen tonight that has you so upset and it's really none of my business; but what I do know is tomorrow is another day to start fresh and make new paths. You can choose to wallow in self-pity or resolve to hit the ground running, knocking anything that gets in your way down."

She nodded while glancing out the window again; one lone tear ran down her cheek as she took in another deep breath.

"Thanks, for the ride home, uh…" she faltered, looking over at me.

"Edward, my name is Edward."

"Nice to meet you, Edward." She said, this time with a genuine smile.

"Likewise, Bella."

She opened the car door to get out and suddenly I wasn't ready for her to go. The tiredness I felt just an hour ago was now gone and replaced with an eagerness to make sure Bella was okay. That small voice in the back of my mind once again reminded me that she is not my problem or responsibility. Why should I have cared if she was okay or not; when I didn't even know her. I should've just let her get out and went on my way, but once again, my heart had other plans.

As she stepped out of my car, she stumbled and caught her balance by grabbing on to the door. I immediately jumped out the car and ran to her rescue; I felt a sudden urge to protect her.

"Whoa, you alright there? Maybe I should walk you inside, because, you don't look too well right now." I explained, closing the car door and wrapping my arm around her small frame. She leaned into me for support and I had to admit, it felt nice holding her and feeling needed once again. Her close proximity allowed me to get a whiff of her hair, which smelled like warm brown sugar and vanilla. I pulled her closer into my side, reveling in her scent.

"Thank you". She said, so softly I almost missed it.

Once inside her building, she told me she was on the second floor to the left. Deciding that trying to help her walk up the stairs would just take too long, I swooped her up into my arms, bridal style causing her to yelp and carried her to her door. While I was still holding her, she fished through her purse for her keys and unlocked the door. I then sat her gently on her feet so she could walk into her apartment, but I did not follow her inside. Rather, I stood at her threshold and held the door open with my foot. I did not want to assume that it was okay to enter her home uninvited, especially at this hour. Besides, I just wanted to make sure she got in safely, then, I could be on my way.

"Well, have a good night." I said, as I watched her retreating form go further into her apartment. My words caused her to swiftly turn around; I had forgotten about her inebriated state, and she tumbled right to the floor. I was too far away to catch her, but I quickly rushed to her side to help her up and onto her couch.

"Hey, are you alright? Bella, I am so sorry; I didn't mean to make you turn and stumble like that."

"Edward, you didn't make me fall, the alcohol did. Besides, I'm sort of clumsy by nature." She said, leaning over and placing her head on one of the pillows at the end of her couch, leaving her feet on the floor.

"Ah, I see; good thing I was here to help you."

"Mmhhmm, good thing." She said, closing her eyes with a faint smile playing on her lips.

I sat on the opposite edge of her couch and waited for her to say something else, but I was met with complete silence. After a few moments more, I heard her steady, heavy breathing, which told me Bella had drifted off to sleep. My first thought as I looked over at her front door was to leave; she was safe and sound at home. My good deed for the night was complete. However, that little organ inside my chest that gives me life just would not allow my feet to carry me out of her apartment.

I got up off the couch and slowly kneeled down in front of her in an attempt to wake her.

"Bella, Bella, wake up, please; you still have your clothes on and you should probably get in your bed or you'll regret it in the morning."

She mumbled something that I couldn't understand and I realized that waking her up was not going to be an option. I stood up and looked around at her very tidy apartment. There wasn't much furniture, but the pieces she had were bought in good taste. There were a few family photos of her and who I assumed were her parents and another one of her and two other women; one had short, spiky, black hair and the other had long, blonde hair. Maybe these were her sisters or cousins. Her living room was pretty sizable and you could see into the kitchen from the couch, which had a table with four chairs in it. Everything seemed to have a place and her color scheme so far appeared to be in the warm brown, tan, and cream colors.

I looked back down at a sleeping Bella and decided I would move her to her bedroom so that she would not wake up tomorrow barely able to walk from the awkward position she was lying in and then I would leave. I scooped her up once again and she barely moved a muscle as I carried her to her bedroom, which was down a hall across from her bathroom. The moonlight shined in from her bedroom window, which allowed me visibility to maneuver around her bedroom and place her gently on her bed. I turned on the small lamp on her side table and saw that her long brown tresses were covering her face.

Just as I finished gently pushing her hair back out of her face, something red caught my attention out of my peripheral. At the foot of her bed, neatly stretched out was a red sleeping shirt with Garfield on the front who was wearing pajamas and a night hat. I chuckled at the sight and decided I would do one more good deed and help her sleep comfortably. I knew this was probably crossing a line, undressing a complete stranger in her sleep. Someone I did not even know two hours ago, but I couldn't let her sleep all night in this beautiful blue dress that she probably paid good money for and heels, right? At least that the excuse I used to rationalize my actions in my head.

Not wanting to spend too much time thinking about it, I gently rolled Bella onto her side, unzipped her dress, and slowly began to slide it off her arms. I sat her up, using my own body to keep her propped up, and quickly pulled her night shirt over her head as to not leave her exposed. I then carefully pushed her arms through the sleeves while trying to balance her against me, and then I laid her back down on her pillow. Next came the hard part, getting the dress over her hips without her help. I rolled her onto her back and used one arm to lift her bottom while using the opposite hand to pull the dress down. Once I had it past her hips, I removed her heels and slid the dress over her feet, neatly laying it at the foot of her bed where her night shirt had been. I placed her heels at the side of her bed and pulled the blanket that had been folded down over her.

Turning off her small lamp, I turned to leave, but not before I placed a very soft kiss to her forehead. I don't know why I felt the urge to do that, but it was too strong to ignore.

"Goodnight sweet Bella".

After one more glance at Bella sleeping peacefully, I left her bedroom, pulling the door half closed. I turned off the lights in her living room, pushed in the little button on the doorknob to a locked position, and securely closed the door behind me. I went down the stairs humming to myself and feeling good about helping Bella tonight, even if she will probably not remember me in the morning. As I got back in my limo and closed the door, I reached in my jacket pocket for my car keys but they were not there, nor were they in my pants pocket. Then, I remembered. My car keys were lying right beside Bella on her side table where I put them so that I could undress her.

"Fuck! My damn keys are in her house! This is what I get for trying to be nice!" I yelled, in frustration.

I looked at my watch to see that it was only 1:30 a.m. I knew my chances of Bella hearing me knock at her door, without me waking the whole building that is, were slim to none. I was stuck. I locked the doors, climbed through the open partition to the back of the limo, and made myself as comfortable as possible, and waited for the sun, as well as Bella, to rise.

**A/N: So, here you go guys, chapter 3. Now Bella has met Edward, though we'll have to see if she remembers him in the morning. I hope you all enjoyed reading. Please leave your thoughts and comments in a review, because I read every last one of them! Thanks again for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Hey guys, I know this update is long overdue, but the last couple of weeks have been unbelievably crazy for me. On the weekend of the 15****th****, I flew to San Francisco to help my niece move back to Chicago. We had our entire drive back all planned out and would have arrived back home on that Sunday, the 17****th****, around noon. However, 11 hours into our drive, in Salt Lake City, UT, her fuel pump went out and we were stuck there from Saturday evening until Monday afternoon, when her car was able to get fixed. After driving all through the night, we finally made it back to Chicago at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday and I came in the house, showered, and changed clothes, and had to go into work (btw, my job is 60 miles away from my home), after driving 19 hours straight. Between Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. and Friday I still had to get in my 40 hours for the week, which meant working a couple some long days. Needless to say, that next weekend I was exhausted and just slept. This week, I was planning to get a chapter or two done, but my husband was in a really bad accident that totaled our van and that threw our entire week off again. I thank God he was not hurt and neither were the drivers of the other vehicles that were involved. I was finally able to get a chapter done this weekend and I am working on another one for you guys. Thanks for being so patient and I apologize for the delay! I hope it is worth your wait!**

**Thank you for all the reviews and to those that signed up to follow me as an author and/or my stories. Your support means the world to me!**

**Beta'd by the amazing princess07890**

**Chapter 4**

**They Meet**

**EPOV**

I woke up to Jacob calling my cell phone just before 8 a.m.

"Hey Jake, what's up?" I said, sitting up and feeling a little stiff from sleeping in the back of my limo.

"What's up? Dude, _you_ tell me! You left here last night to drop off my client and I didn't hear from or see you again. Then, I got to the office this morning and didn't see you or your limo." Jake exclaimed, clearly expecting me to explain my whereabouts.

"Jake, it's a long story that hasn't ended yet and I'm too tired to start explaining now; but let's just say it doesn't always pay to be nice!"

"Yeah, whatever man; I got some paperwork to get finished, so, what time should I expect you? We have a couple of double bookings today and Seth won't be back until tomorrow and Paul is out sick, so I need you." Jake barked out, sounding quite annoyed.

"Don't get your panties in a bunch; I should be there in a couple of hours." I said as I popped a piece of gum in my mouth, hoping to mask the morning breath I knew I had. I also wanted to just head up to Bella's apartment, get my keys, and be on my way.

As I climbed the stairs to her apartment, I was becoming more and more nervous for some strange reason. I felt like I was picking her up for our first date. Except, this was a far cry from a date and, if anything, I should be upset about the inconvenience I have experienced trying to be nice. I mean, what if I had a wife at home or children that I needed to get home to? That would have been catastrophic on so many levels! I couldn't imagine trying to explain why I didn't come home the night before since my keys were locked in another woman's apartment. I stood in front of her door just listening. There was dead silence which indicated that Bella had not woken up yet. I knocked softly, just in case she _was_ awake, but there was no answer.

I then knocked again, this time using a lot more force than before, but, still no answer. Deciding that there was no other way to wake her up besides banging on her door very loudly, I used the door knocker on the front of her door and slammed it down against the wooden door four times, causing her neighbors across the hall to open their door to see where the loud banging was coming from; but they quickly closed it when I turned to look at them.

"WHO IS IT?" I heard her angry, raspy voice say through the door.

"Uh… it's uh…me… I mean, it's Edward."

"Edward? I don't know any Edward; I think you knocked on the wrong door." Bella announced from the other side of her front door.

"Bella, I'm sorry to disturb you so early, but I can't leave because you have my keys to my car."

"How do you know my name and why on God's earth would I have your keys? I don't even know you! And if you don't get away from my door I swear I'll call the police." Bella huffed out clearly getting more and more annoyed.

Ok. I don't have time for this shit this early in the morning!

"Bella, wait, please, I know this all sounds a little crazy and you may not remember much from last night, but, I gave you a ride home and helped you into your apartment. It wasn't until I got back down to my car that I discovered I had left my keys and I didn't want to disturb you; so I slept in my car all night.

There was silence; for a moment, I thought she had walked away.

"So, let me get this straight; you brought me home last night and helped me to get in safely, which would mean you were in my apartment?" Her statement came out sounding more like a question.

"Yes, that is correct, and when I left to go…."

"Sooo, is my kitchen to the left or right of my living room" she asked, cutting me off.

"Huh, what?" I asked, completely confused by her question.

"You said you were in my apartment last night, right? So, where is my kitchen in connection to my living room? If I were you, I would start talking fast, because I _will _call the police!"

"To the right; it's to the right of your living room. It has a table with two chairs; you have no dining room; there's a hall toward the back of your apartment that leads to the bathroom, also on the right, and your bedroom is on the left. Your bed is against the wall when you first enter your bedroom, the head of the bed is next to a window and there is a small nightstand to the right of your bed. That nightstand is where my car keys are laying." After describing her entire apartment to her, I closed my eyes and prayed this was enough to get her to open the door.

The question she asked next I wasn't so sure I wanted to answer, for no other reason than not wanting her to freak out more.

"Why were you in my bedroom?" She asked, in a panicked voice.

Tired and just wanting to get my keys and leave, I answered without thinking.

"I was undressing you!"

"WHAT! WHAT DO YOU MEAN UNDRESSING ME?"

"No, not like that, Bella…" I stopped talking mid-sentence when I heard someone enter the building and started coming up the stairs. I prayed whoever it was lived on the first floor and would not have to pass by me, but no such luck.

Just as a woman carrying two grocery bags made her way up to the second floor, Bella yelled through the door again.

"DID WE HAVE SEX?! ARE YOU TELLING ME WE SLEPT TOGETHER?!"

I hung my head, closed my eyes, and shook my head in disbelief at where I was at and this ridiculous conversation I was having. I finally turned to look at the woman, who was looking at me wide eyed, trying her best to not laugh as she passed me to go to the third floor, quickly mumbling a 'good morning'. I gave her a polite smile in return and waited for her to go up before answering Bella.

"Dammit, Bella, look, no we did not sleep together!" I said, in a hushed but stern voice.

"Then, why did you undress me? Explain that!"

"Because you were too damn drunk to do it yourself, and… and the dress you had on looked really nice and I didn't think you would want to ruin it. So, when I saw your nightgown at the end of your bed, I decided to try and make you more comfortable by putting it on you! Now, can I please have my keys? Please?"

There was silence for I don't know how long. Just when I was about ready to kick her front door down, it opened and there stood Bella, with said nightgown on, in all her morning glory. She was even more beautiful than I remembered. For a quick moment, I had forgotten how much she had just annoyed the shit out of me.

We stood there just staring at each other, me taking in her beauty and at the same time wondering what was running through that pretty head of hers. I decided to try and break the ice.

"We didn't have sex, or kiss, or even hug for that matter, except for when I carried you up the stairs, but that was only because you were holding on to me; I just drove you home, we talked for a few; and I made sure you got to bed safely. That's it; that's all. Nothing else happened, I promise." I said, raising my right hand as if I was taking an oath.

She stood there, staring at me, as if she was trying to determine if I was being truthful or not. Finally, she opened the door wider and motioned with her head for me to come in. I stepped into her apartment and waited for her to close the door and turn around before speaking.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for waking you up, but I just need my keys and I can be on my way."

"I apologize, for giving you such a hard time, but you must know how crazy this all sounded to me this early in the morning; not to mention the fact that I'm a bit disturbed that I remember none of what happen last night. I mean, please understand, that's not me; I don't usually get so drunk that I can't remember someone bringing me home and coming into my house, let alone undressing me."

"No, I didn't get the impression that you did, Bella." I offered, hoping to ease her mind.

"What impression did you get?" She asked, and I didn't really know how to answer that question, because, in all honesty, I'd known her what, all of seven hours? I didn't really have any real impression of her, besides something happened that made her very sad and upset.

"I haven't known you long enough to have an impression of you; I know you were upset, but you never told me why. To be honest, it's none of my business. I just wanted to make sure you made it home safely."

"So, which taxi company do you work for? I hope I have not caused you to get into trouble with your boss; maybe I can cover some of the fares you missed out on last night; how much do you think you lost out on?"

I chuckled at her kindness, worrying about me getting in trouble and the money she thought I lost out on.

"I don't drive a taxi; I'm a limo driver. You did not make me lose out on any money, so don't worry."

"A LIMO?! Do I even want to know how I ended up in the back of your limo?" She asked, with an embarrassed look on her face, and then she blushed the most beautiful shade of pink. She really was a gorgeous woman!

"Not really, but the entire ride you were nothing less than a lady; I can assure you of that."

"Well, limos cost money, too, so at least let me pay you for the ride."

"Nah, this one's on me; don't worry about it. It was my pleasure, Bella."

We then stood there in an awkward silence; her looking around her apartment as if she was looking for something and me looking at her. I finally spoke again and her eyes shot back to me.

"Well, if you could get my keys for me, I'll get out of your hair and let you get on with your day."

"Oh, right, your keys, I'll be right back." She said, snapping her fingers and rushing off to her bedroom.

She returned a few minutes later with my keys in hand and a smile on her face.

"You know, you should at least let me fix you breakfast, since you won't take my money."

She was still holding my keys in her hand, though my hand was stretched out towards her to take them. I dropped my hand and truly contemplated on taking her up on her offer; I mean, let's be real, I am a man and having breakfast with a half dressed beautiful woman is a no brainer. However, I remembered Jake saying we were short-handed. There went that idea.

"I appreciate the offer, but, unfortunately, I'll have to pass; I need to get my limo back to the garage to be cleaned up for clients today, but thank you. That's very kind of you."

"No, don't thank me, I did nothing; I should be thanking you for being so sweet to take me home, and not taking advantage of me, even though you could have."

"That's not my style; taking advantage of a woman when she's vulnerable, I mean. Only an insecure coward would do that. I would want you fully alert if I were pleasuring you, so that your mind would remember my touch and your body would crave it." I said, giving her a small smile, and a wink; she blushed again and this time it reached her neck.

She looked away from me, placing one hand over her chest and the other around her neck. She looked, hot and bothered and a little flustered, but still sexy as hell. She turned her attention back to me before clearing her throat and speaking again.

"Well, thank you, Edward, again, I can't tell you how grateful I am that I ended up in your limo and not some other pervert's car."

"You're more than welcome, Bella." I reached my hand out to her again, because she had yet to hand me my keys.

"Oh, yeah, here you go; I guess you would need these, right?"

"Right."

"Hey, did you really carry me up the stairs?"

"Yes, I mean, I figured in your state, it would be easier and safer for the both of us."

"I see." She said, nodding her head.

"Take care, Bella, oh… and if you ever have a need for a limo, here's my card; don't hesitate to call."

"I won't; thanks again, Edward."

"Goodbye, Bella."

"Bye, Edward."

I turned and walked out her door and the further I walked the more I wanted to go back. Why was I so attracted to this woman? Okay, sure she was beautiful, but I saw beautiful women all the time; some were even famous. So, what made this one any different? I couldn't think about that at the moment. I had a full day of work ahead of me and I was functioning on a very limited amount of rest. My main concern at that moment was where the nearest Starbucks was located!

**A/N: So there you have it; they officially meet! What did you guys think? Please leave me your thoughts on this chapter. I will get the next chapter up as soon as possible and thanks again for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Thank you for all the reviews and to those that signed up to follow me as an author and/or my stories. Your support means the world to me!**

**Beta'd by the amazing princess07890**

**Chapter 5**

**Chance Meeting**

**BPOV**

"_Goodbye, Bella."_

"_Bye, Edward."_

He walked out of my front door, closing it behind him. For the life of me, I couldn't move; I stood there for God knows how long just staring at the closed door, wishing I could rewind time, just a little. I had just let the most gorgeous man I'd ever lay eyes on walk right out of my house and out of my life! Okay, that was a bit dramatic, considering I did have a way of contacting him if I really wanted to, but still. I ran to my balcony and slid open the door, hoping to catch another glance of Edward, but I was too late; he had already left. I went back into my apartment to fix myself some coffee and find some much needed aspirin for my killer headache.

After eating a light breakfast, which consisted of two scrambled eggs and a slice of dry toast to settle the queasiness in my stomach, I decided I would spend the day cleaning and reorganizing my apartment. After that, I would go to the grocery store to stock up on food, since I would be home a lot more now. I figured between the cleaning and shopping, I could waste at least a half a day and then I would figure out what else to do later. So I put on some dance music and got to it.

After cleaning my apartment and reorganizing some things, including rearranging some of my furniture, I noticed I had four missed calls from Alice and two from Tanya on my cell phone. I looked at the clock to see that it was already a quarter past five and I had been cleaning and reorganizing for over eight hours. I grabbed my cell and quickly called Alice back first.

"Hey Bella, where have you been? I've been calling you all day?" Alice huffed, into the phone when she answered.

"Sorry Alice, I started cleaning up and time just got away from me. I had music playing, so I didn't hear my cell phone ringing. Did everything go okay after I left last night? I asked, while putting on my sneakers to run out to the store.

"Good, actually great! Tanya ran into a couple of her college friends and decided to stay a while longer and hang out with them and Jasper came home with me to make sure I made it home safely. We had a couple of glasses wine and mostly just sat up all night talking, and Bella, he is just a perfect gentleman." Alice beamed. I was happy for her because I knew my friend and what I saw when she looked at Jasper last night was nothing short of love, though I'm sure she wouldn't admit it.

"I'm happy for you, Alice; you deserve a good guy and Jasper certainly seems like he fits the bill." I said, smiling at her excitement.

"Speaking of getting home safely, have I got a story to tell you!" I told her, recalling my encounter with Edward.

After filling her in on all the details from what Edward had told me about last night and the events of this morning, Alice could do nothing but laugh and I had to admit the whole situation _was_ pretty damn funny.

"Listen, Alice, I have to run out to the grocery store before I get too lazy to do it, but, I was thinking you could come over tonight and we could watch a movie and eat junk food."

"Oooh, I would love to, but I'm going to dinner with Jasper tonight; how about tomorrow? We could make it a girls' night in; I can call Tanya, too."

"Sounds good, enjoy your dinner tonight and I'll talk to you later."

The grocery store was pretty empty for a Saturday and I was grateful, because all I wanted was to get in and out quickly, so I could go home, shower, and curl up on my couch to watch a movie. By the time I finished shopping, it was almost seven in the evening and I couldn't believe how fast this day had flown by. I walked out of the grocery store with my grocery cart looking for the nearest taxi to flag down. I was glad that it only took about three minutes for me to find an available taxi, and just as I opened the door, I heard someone call my name. I looked up into the most beautiful, piercing, green eyes that I couldn't forget, even if I wanted to.

"Edward, what are you doing here?" I asked, though I couldn't care less as to why he was here, I was just glad that he was.

"I just finished working and I needed a few items from the store."

"Yeah, me too, well… I needed more than a _few_ items, as you can see." I said; smiling nervously as my heart almost beat out of my chest. This confused me, because I didn't understand my body's reaction to him.

We stood staring at each other until finally the taxi driver interrupted us.

"Look, lady, do you need a taxi or what? The clock is ticking here!"

"Oh, I…I'm so sorry, I…" I replied, and then Edward cut my rambling off.

"Actually, you can leave; the _lady _already has a ride." Edward answered the taxi driver, while walking over to his window and handing him money.

I stood there shocked by his words and actions. After paying the taxi driver for a ride I never took, he walked over to me, grabbed my grocery cart, and held out his arm, gesturing for me to walk over to his limo.

"After you, madam." He stated, with a dip of his head.

It took a moment for my brain to register what was happening, but after I recovered, I did as he was instructing me to. When I reached his limo, he opened the door for me to get in and closed it behind me once I was comfortably seated. I turned to the rear window to see Edward putting my grocery bags in the truck of the limo. I took this time to try and calm myself down, because all my senses were on high alert at the moment. After returning my grocery cart to the cart stall, he made his way back to the driver seat. He started the car and lowered the partition to speak to me.

"Do you have any other stops you need to make this evening, ma'am, or should I take you home?" he inquired, with a smirk on his lips.

I looked at him in his rearview mirror and raised my eyebrows.

"Ma'am? First of all _Sir_, I'm pretty sure I'm younger than you."

"Well, that depends on your definition of younger; and what's second of all? He stated, still smirking.

"Second of all, Bella will do just fine in the future." I answered simply.

"So, there is hope for us having a future?" He asked with a small smile now.

"Not if you keep calling me ma'am." I said offering my own smile.

"Fair enough; any more stops for you tonight, Bella?"

"No, Edward, please take me home."

"My pleasure."

We pulled up in front of my building less than ten minutes later and Edward rushes out to open my door before I have the chance. He helped me to carry my groceries upstairs and once again I was grateful for his kindness.

"Pretty soon, my landlord is going to raise my rent if I keep getting dropped off in fancy limos." I chuckled, as we brought the last of my groceries into my kitchen.

"Well, we wouldn't want that, would we? So, I guess, next time, I'll just have to pick you up in my normal car."

"Next time? That's a little presumptuous of you, don't you think?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows.

"No, not really." He replied, while setting my grocery bags on my counter.

"A bit cocky too, aren't we?" I said, while crossing my arms over my chest and turning to face him.

"Cocky? No, not at all; I've just learned how to read people very well over the years.

"Oh really? And, may I ask exactly what your Spidey senses have told you about me?"

"Spidey senses? Ha ha, okay, I guess I deserve that."

"You think?"

"Maybe, but, can you honestly say you've never thought about seeing me again? The man who fought through traffic to drive you home; who carried you up not one, but two flights of stairs; who sat and let you talk my ear off until you _finally_ fell asleep; who then carried you again to your bedroom; changed you into your nice comfy nightgown, without so much as even sneaking a peak at your _'girls' _might I add; I tucked you in and, before leaving, made sure your front door was securely locked, so you would be safe. He _even_ waited for you to wake up to make sure you were okay. Now, I don't know about _you_, but, if someone did _all_ of that for _me_, I would certainly want to see _her_ again!" He finished, with a crooked grin.

By the time he finished his little speech, which I have to admit was quite charming, I was ready to burst with laughter. The fact that he was gorgeous was just a bonus, but when you add that, for the first time, I really noticed him. His toned chest and muscular arms. He had perfectly tanned skin, the brightest, most beautiful emerald green eyes I've ever seen, and a smile that was just breathtaking.

"No, _he_ waited because _he_ couldn't leave; remember, _he_ had no keys to drive."

"I would still want to see her again."

"Hmm, is that right?"

"Oh yeah, it is definitely, right."

We stood staring at each other and suddenly the room became warmer and as I looked at Edward; I couldn't seem to gather a single thought outside of wanting to kiss him. Wait, what? Get a grip, Bella; you don't even know this guy! Kiss him, really? The last thing I needed to worry about was a relationship.

"Listen, Edward, I think you're really nice and I appreciate all that you've done, but, I have a lot of things going on in my life right now and I just don't have time to pursue a relationship." I said, hoping he understood.

"Whoa, who said anything about a relationship? I was thinking more like a cup of coffee, lunch, or maybe even dinner and a movie, but, certainly not a relationship. I quite enjoy my freedom and having to account for my comings and goings is highly undesirable to me."

"Well, geez, you don't have to make it sound like a plague, or something. Just because you are in a relationship does not mean you have to account for your comings and goings all the time."

"Oh yeah? Tell that to my ex, Leah. Because, before it was all said and done, she went from being my girlfriend to my probation officer. If I did not check in every couple of hours, she went nuts; she was so insecure." He explained, with a grimace.

"Maybe you did something to make her feel insecure; have you ever thought of that?" I said, wondering what happen that has him so scared of relationships.

"Now, why does it always have to be the man that did something; maybe she's just an insecure person, period."

"That could be true, but, can you honestly say that you did not contribute to her feeling that way?"

By this time, I had put up my groceries and we were now sitting at my kitchen table. Though I truly am not looking for a relationship, it was refreshing to have someone of the opposite sex that I could just casually talk to without him expecting something at the end of the night.

"I work a lot and, sometimes, in my line of work, I can be out to the wee hours of the night. I have a variety of clients from kids, to elderly people, businessmen, and beautiful models. That's just the nature of the job and she just couldn't get that. The pressure of trying to keep to a schedule to please her was not only hurting my clientele, but, it also made my partner have to pick up some of my slack and eventually it all just became too much."

"Well, when you put it like that, I guess I can see how that became a problem." I responded, nodding in agreement to his statement.

We fell into a comfortable silence and I didn't really know what else to say. However, what I did know was that I was enjoying Edward's company and I wasn't ready for him to go yet.

"I better get going; it's getting a little late." He stated as he stood from the table.

"Oh, I was just going to offer for you to stay for dinner; nothing special, just cheese ravioli with sauce, a Caesar salad, and maybe a glass of wine. I mean, it's the least I could do for taking up so much of your time for the last couple of nights."

_Please say yes, please say yes; please say yes._

"That sounds delicious, but, unfortunately, I've got to get going; I have another stop I need to make before heading home; but thanks for offering."

"It's okay, I understand; I'll get to make it up to you one of these days." I said, trying not to let the disappointment that I felt show.

"One of these days for sure." He replied, smiling while walking to the front door and I swear my heart melted.

"Be safe driving; I guess I'll see you around."

"For sure, take care."

After closing the door behind Edward, I ran over to the balcony doors and watched him get into his limo and drive off. What was it about him that I liked so much? I don't know but one thing was for sure, I needed to get over it because he surely had no interest in getting to know me in that kind of way.

**A/N: So what do you guys think of a Bella and Edward, who are both trying to avoid a relationship? Please read and leave me your thoughts on these two!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Thank you for all the reviews and to those that signed up to follow me as an author and/or my stories; you guys are simply the best! I have not been able to reply to your reviews because of RL circumstances, but, please know that I read and LOVE each and every review! Some make me think, some make me laugh, and a few have even made me cry and I love it; so, please keep them coming! With all that I have going on in RL, you guys are my relief! Your support means the world to me!**

**My story "Till You Love Me" has been nominated as one of the top ten fics completed in August, and I am so excited and grateful for my story even being nominated! On that note, please support me by casting your vote for my story. The website is www dot twifanfictionrecs dot com. Voting will close Tuesday, September 30, 2014 and is limited to one vote per person in each 24 hour period! Thank you in advance for all of your support!**

**Okay, enough talking, now on with the story!**

**Beta'd by the amazing princess07890**

**Chapter 6**

**Strange Desires**

**EPOV**

"You're back? I thought you had headed home for the night; what, did you forget something?" Jake asked when I walked back into the office.

"No, I came back for my car; I have a couple of errands to run in the morning, before I come in, and I'd rather not do them in the limo." I replied, while looking over our appointment book for the following day.

"We don't have any pickups until 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, so I should be able to handle the morning; plus, Seth and Paul will be here. You could actually take the day off, you know."

"Jake, stop it! I'm fine and you don't have to keep trying to get me to take off; you don't owe me anything! You were off serving your country and that's all the thanks I need. You not getting yourself killed is a bonus." I joked, while playfully punching his arm.

"Watch out now; this ain't what you want!" Jake joked right back while grabbing me into a headlock.

I met Jacob Black six years ago at my dad, Carlisle's funeral and he was quite intimidating at first glance. Jake stands 6'8", weighs at least 290-300 lbs. and is all muscle; but I quickly learned he is a gentle giant. He was from San Jose, California, his dad still lived there, but Jake had just relocated to New York a month ago after receiving an honorable discharge after fourteen years of active duty service. Jake's seven years older than me and treated me every bit like the little brother he's never had.

Jake was the one who presented my mom with the American flag during my father's service and he was also the one who reached out to a nineteen year old young man, who had just lost his hero. He was a part of my dad's squadron and has told me many stories over the years of how my dad saved his life, just by simply believing in him. I was a military brat and the son of not one, but, two U.S. Marines, one of whom is an officer. My dad served twenty one years, and was a Sgt. Major at the time of his death; a bomb exploded in Southern Shorsurak, Helmand Province in 2008, killing him and four of his men and wounding several more. My mom, Esme, has been active now for twenty six years and is a 1st Lieutenant stationed in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii on the island of Oahu; she is looking to retire in four more years. My parents were both only nineteen when I was born, unexpectedly, but they stayed together and made it work. They were married when I was four and I was the ring bearer at their wedding. I can still remember how happy I was when they tied the knot.

Jake, seeing how lost I was without my father, took it upon himself to stay in touch with me to make sure I stayed on the right path. Though it disappointed my mom, she supported my decision of not joining the military as she had hoped, but instead I went to college, and now, in two months I would have my M.B.A. When I first decided to open the limousine company three and a half years ago, right before getting my B.S. in Business Management, it was Jake who backed me 100%. He even offered to put up almost half of the overhead cost and allow me to pay him back later, but I had a better idea. I offered him 40% ownership in exchange for helping me finance the business and I used a large portion of the insurance money I received from my father to cover the rest. We didn't really start seeing profit until after about eighteen months, but now, almost four years in, and we have a very successful, thriving limousine company.

"Alright, alright I give; I'm too damn tired to be wrestling with you tonight."

"Seriously, Edward, you've been practically running this business by yourself for the past couple of years. Now that I'm back, permanently, you can take a break."

"And do what? Sit at home and watch reality TV, play video games, or maybe I could…"

"Find a woman and stop consuming yourself with work, just because your last relationship was a disaster! How bout it?" He remarked, cutting me off and crossing his arms across his chest.

"I do not consume myself with work!"

"Oh yeah? Okay. When was the last time you took a day off, that wasn't a holiday? Even better, when was the last time you worked less than twelve hours in a day?"

"Jake, I'm running a company here. My partner was gone, halfway across the world, for a very good reason, but, nevertheless, gone."

"Awww, bullshit, Edward! We have been fully staffed for over a year now! Seth is our office manager and knows how to run our business in our absence; he could have handled things for few days so that you could take some time off." Jake replied, clearly annoyed.

"Look Jake, stop worrying about me, I'm fine, and I don't need a woman to keep me occupied." I hissed, getting a little agitated with where this conversation was going.

"Sure, sure, keep telling yourself that; see you tomorrow." He stated, clapping me on the shoulder before walking out.

Deep inside, I knew he was right, but I just was not ready to be on the dating scene again. I mean, there was this one girl I'd been seeing, Bree. She was nice enough, I guess, and very intelligent, however, outside of the sex, we didn't really have anything in common. She's a few years younger than me, in college, getting her undergrad degree. She still thought that the only activity on weekends was to go clubbing and consume alcohol. Bottom line, I really didn't see us going anywhere.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." I answered back dryly.

As I drove home, my mind wandered to Bella, and I found myself wondering what she was doing. I still had not found out why she was so upset the night she hopped into my limo. I assumed it was over a boyfriend who broke her heart, but she assured me that was not the reason. Why I even wanted to know is beyond me, and why she seems to keep coming up in my thoughts was even more baffling. When I left her this morning, there was a small part of me that wanted to see her again, but I quickly tried to dispel those thoughts. I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her at the grocery store. It was like someone had read my thoughts and then granted my wish. My cell phone rang, bringing me out of my thoughts. I looked at it to see that it was my mom calling.

"Hey mom." I said, after turning on my Bluetooth.

"Hey son, how are you?"

"I'm good, mom; I have no complaints, and you?"

"Well, I could complain, but, no one would care or listen anyway." She stated, chuckling.

"That's what I'm here for, mom; to always care for and listen to you whenever you need me to."

"Have I ever told you how lucky I am to have you for a son?"

"Yes, I believe you've mentioned it once or a thousand times in my life." I replied, smiling. I could hear the smile in her voice, which always made me feel good.

"So, I called to tell you that your cousin Rose is getting married and…"

"What! Who in the hell did she find that is desperate enough to marry her?!"

"Edward Anthony Cullen! She is your family; be nice, please. Now, as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, she and her fiancé, Emmett, want to have the wedding here in Hawaii at my house, since they are going to be honeymooning here afterwards. With that being said, I wanted to see if you could help me out with some of the planning."

Rosalie was my cousin on my dad's side. Growing up, we were more like siblings. We're the same age and we both had no siblings. I loved her dearly, but she was a major pain in the ass to deal with because she's a spoiled brat who was use to getting her way. After my dad passed away and my mom got stationed in Hawaii, she purchased a beautiful beach front property that is a little more than 5000 sq. feet. My mom has always loved decorating and she spent most of her free time renovating the property, though I know she was really just keeping herself busy now that she no longer had my dad. I stayed in New York for college, but I went to visit her often and even spent a good portion of my summer vacations in Hawaii helping her with the house, until Jake and I opened our business. I still make it a point to take a long weekend and spend time with her every three months. She still missed him so much, we both did, but things had gotten easier for us to cope with over the years.

"Mom, you know I can't stand to even be in the same room too long with Rose, and now you want me to help plan her wedding? That's chick stuff."

"Excuse me? Chick stuff, Edward? May I remind you that you are speaking to a female who is a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps; gender barriers have not been and will never be an issue in the Cullen family. The next thing I know you'll be saying only women should cook and clean."

"I didn't mean it that way, mom; I meant that, I don't know the first thing about planning a wedding, except that, when the time comes, I need to be standing at the altar."

"Well, it's time you learn a little more than that, so, when the time comes, you can actually help your bride to be, instead of putting everything off on her." She finished, and I could hear the longing in her voice.

My mom was itching for me to find a wife and give her grandchildren, but she never pushed me and I was grateful for that.

"Mom, that's a long way off, so no worries about me leaving my 'bride to be' stuck with all the wedding planning."

"Anyway, how are things there in New York? How is Jake's move going?"

"Things are good here and I think Jake is pretty much all settled in. He's been putting in a lot of hours at the office trying to make up for lost time; I keep telling the moron he does not owe me anything."

"You know how Jake is, Edward, especially when it comes to you; he loves you like a brother and he is used to taking care of people. Having someone else do things for him makes him uncomfortable. So, if he wants to take on more of the daily office stuff to give you a break, let him. You could probably use the break anyway, though I know you'll never admit it."

"I'm fine, mom." I responded, exasperated with the subject of me working too much.

"Uh huh, 'I'm fine' is code for 'I know you're right, mom, but I can't let you know that!'" she answered in her motherly voice.

"Mom." I replied in a warning tone.

"Fine, fine, I'm done; I have to get ready for dinner anyway"

"Dinner? With whom?"

"With a friend, nosey?"

"I'm not nosey and is this friend a female?"

"No, no he's not and that is the end of this conversation."

"For now." I said, letting her know we would definitely be revisiting this subject again, and soon.

"Goodnight, son, I love you." 

"Goodnight, mom, love you too.

Right now, the local time in Hawaii is 4:50 p.m., which is a six hour time difference from New York's local time. So, most of the time when I talked to my mom, she would be just getting home from work or preparing dinner, while I, on the other hand, am heading to bed.

Once I was back at my apartment, I quickly showered, changed into sweats and a t-shirt, and popped a frozen dinner into the microwave. I turned on the TV in my living room and plopped down on the couch and that's when I heard the familiar tone of an unread text coming from my cell. When I look at the screen, I didn't recognize the number, but, once I read the text, I definitely knew who it was from, Bella.

_**Hi Edward, **_

_**I just wanted to say thanks again for taking time out of your schedule to help me. I guess chivalry is not dead! Lol! Anyway, I appreciate you looking after me just out of the kindness of your heart, and, I hope you will allow me the chance to repay you the favor. Have a good night! B.**_

I sat there, staring at the screen, and smiling, because no matter how much I tried to deny it, I liked this girl and I was glad to get that text. At first, I sat the phone down, deciding not to respond, but wondered I she would get offended and begin to think I did not want to be bothered with her? Then again, she could get the wrong impression that I am trying to pursue her if I do respond. Maybe I could wait and respond tomorrow so I wouldn't appear anxious, or maybe I should just send back something short and sweet. No, not sweet, but short and simple. No, I was not going to respond because I'd already told her I was not looking for a relationship. But then again, she said the same thing and she said it first. We could just be friends and if I don't respond, she may think I don't even want that! Uugghhh, why is this so damn complicated!

Grabbing a hand full of my hair in one hand, I picked up my cell in the other, and started to text back a reply.

_**Hey Bella,**_

_**You never have to thank me for helping you. I loved being there for you. E.**_

Loved being there for you? Really Edward, yeah that'll convince her you're not pursuing her. I quickly erased that text and started again.

_**Hey Bella,**_

_**No sweat, I would have done it for anyone. E.**_

No, that makes it sound like there was nothing special about her.

_**Hey Bella,**_

_**No worries, I'm sure you would have done the same for me. E.**_

Not, she's a woman and the likelihood of her driving a drunk, strange man home by herself was not likely at all.

_**Hey Bella,**_

_**I'm sure you've had plenty of men drive you home after night of partying a little too much, so don't mention it.**_

Okay, dumbass, why not just come out and call her a whore and an alcoholic!

I sat back on my couch and groaned in frustration at my inability to send her a simple text. I took a deep breath and picked up my cell once again, determined to reply to her text and started typing again.

_**Hey Bella,**_

_**No worries, I was more than happy that I was there when you needed me and was able to get you home safe and sound. As far as "repaying" me, it's not necessary, but I guess if you're going to keep twisting my arm, then I'll just have to let you! Lol! E.**_

I hit the send button before I lost my nerve, to send the text and sat my phone down on the table to go get my dinner out of the microwave. When I came back, I was surprised to see Bella had sent me another text.

_**Twisting your arm? Ha, you wish! I am simply offering to extend the same kindness you've shown me, but let's not go overboard! B.**_

After reading her text, I literally laughed out loud and it felt good. I immediately responded back.

_**Overboard? Hardly; I saw the way you were checking me out at your house. You want me, Bella! ;) E.**_

_**And there's the cocky Edward I know! B.**_

_**No, not cocky at all, remember, I told you, I just know people! E.**_

_**Okay, if you know people so much, tell me, what am I thinking right now? B.**_

_**Hopefully, the same thing I'm thinking; that I'm really glad you accidentally got into my limo the other night and I really enjoy talking to you. E.**_

I debated whether or not I should really send that last one, and wondered what her reaction would be. Would she know I meant it in a friendly way or would she think I was pursuing her on the sly? Before I could put too much thought into it, I pressed send and prayed this would not send her running for the hills. She did not reply right away. As the minutes passed by, I got more and more worried that I had gone too far. Just when I was going to type out another text to apologize for my last one, my phone buzzed with another text from Bella.

_**Me too, you're really cool! Have a good night. B.**_

_**Have a good night, as well. E.**_

I reread over our text messages, to myself, as I ate my now lukewarm dinner, but I couldn't care less. This woman was causing me to have desires I hadn't had in a long time and I didn't know how to feel about that. She wanted to repay me and I wanted her to repay me if it meant I would get to see her again. I cannot remember the last time I was this intrigued by a woman and it wasn't physical, but I liked it, a lot!

**A/N: So, what did you guys think of Edward's POV? Did he honestly think he could resist Bella, his soul mate? Let's see what Bella will think of their exchanges by text next chapter! Until then, leave me your thoughts in a review because I love to read them. Thanks!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Thank you to all my readers that left the wonderful reviews! I LOVE reading them and some of you make me laugh and cry after reading the beautiful things you say about my writing and this story. For those that have not please got to www dot twi fanfiction recs dot com (no spaces) and vote for my story, "Till You Love Me" which has been nominated as one of the top 10 stories completed in August 2014! Your support means the world to me and I appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to read any of my stories!**

**And, now chapter 7…**

**Beta'd by the talented princess07890**

**Chapter 7**

**Big Girl Panties**

**BPOV**

_You're really cool?_

Really, Bella; what is this, high school? You couldn't think of anything else to say back? I sat there, staring at the last text I sent to Edward, thinking about what a juvenile way to respond to the really nice text he sent to me. The problem was that I really did not know how to respond because he shocked me with the whole 'I'm glad you got into my limo' and 'I really enjoyed talking to you 'spill. I mean, here I was, trying my best to just forget this guy, and he just kept turning up the charm. If I was being honest, I really liked him and wanted to get to know him better; I could no longer deny it, but, after what he told me about his last relationship, I definitely didn't want to appear clingy or needy. I'd thought about him a lot since he left my apartment, though I'd tried hard not to.

I looked at the business card he gave me and contemplated calling him but I thought it was too soon. So, I settled for a text, not really expecting to get one back. I was elated when I did. The question was, was he just being nice, because he doesn't want to hurt my feelings or, did he actually mean what he said? After reading the text messages one more time, I finally went to bed to get some much needed rest. I would deal with my growing feelings towards Edward in the morning.

"Bella, honey, wake up; it's almost noon and you're still sleeping."

I slowly opened my eyes to see my other best friend, Tanya, staring at me with a strange look on her face. I was unusually cold and I could feel my body shivering, but it wasn't the chills that made me feel so bad; it was the achiness that seemed to be running through my entire body that made me wince when I tried to sit up.

"Bella, you don't look so good; are you okay?" Tanya asked, placing her hand on my forehead and pulled it back quickly as if she had just touched fire.

"You're burning up Bella! When did you get sick, like this?" She asked, running off into my bathroom and returning with my digital thermometer in her hand.

After placing a protective cover over it, she shoved it in my mouth under my tongue, before I had a chance to protest.

"Tanya, I'm fine; I just need to eat something." I told her as reached up to take the thermometer out of my mouth.

"Don't you dare remove that, and stop talking so I can get an accurate reading." She replied, slapping my hand away.

I rolled my eyes, which hurt my head, by the way, and waited for the stupid thing to beep. When it did, I tossed it on the bed towards Tanya and lay back down because my head was pounding and I felt dizzy from sitting up.

"Bella, you have a fever of 103.6! I'm taking you to the hospital." She said standing up.

"NO! Tanya, please, God no! I will be fine; I…I...I just need some Tylenol and…and…an… achoo! achoo!" I finished my statement with two sneezes, while grabbing tissue from the box on my night stand.

"Yeah that sounds like you'll be just fine, Bella!" Tanya scolded me while placing her hands on her hips.

I pulled the covers over my head, hoping she would just let me sleep because I was so exhausted. I felt as though I had run a marathon. Tanya slowly pulled the covers down from over my head and I let out a small whimper.

"I don't want to go to the hospital because they will probably want to draw blood and…" I trailed off, too tired to finish my thought.

"Fine, okay, Bella; I get that you can't stand the sight or the smell of blood, but, if you are not better by tomorrow, I am taking you to the hospital. No ifs, ands, or buts about it; are we clear?"

"Yes, yes, better by tomorrow or the hospital, I got it." I responded, pulling the covers back up to cover my head.

"Wait, not so fast; you are going to take some medicine, and drink some hot tea before going back to sleep." Tanya called out as she left out of my bedroom.

See the problem with friends who have keys to your apartment?!

Two hours later, Tanya was gone and I was sitting on my couch, flipping through channels, trying to find something to watch. I felt much better now that my fever had subsided, thanks to the Tylenol, and I didn't have the chills anymore. I had taken a nice hot shower, washed my hair, and put on some nice cozy pajamas. I was currently sipping on another cup of hot tea when I heard my cell phone alert me about an incoming text. I slowly got up from the couch and grabbed it from the TV stand.

_**Hello Bella,**_

_**I hope I am not disturbing you, but I was driving home and wanted to just check and see if you may have had any errands to run today. You know, with me being your new 'driver' and all. Lol! Just kidding. Really, I was just checking on you because I've enjoyed taking to you these last couple of days. E.**_

I was smiling so big, I made my cheeks hurt, but I couldn't care less; he hadn't only texted back me last night to be polite. He actually wanted to talk to me and the fact that he was texting me, instead of me texting him proved it! I sat back down on my couch, tucked my legs under me, and texted him back.

_**Hi Edward,**_

_**Though I will admit that I truly enjoyed being chauffeured around and talking with you also, you will have to settle on another client today. I'm a bit under the weather and am therefore confined to my home. (Sad face) B.**_

_**Under the weather? I am truly sorry to hear that. Headache? E.**_

_**No, I wish; bad cold! Complete with fever. Sniffle, sniffle! B.**_

_**Sniffle, sniffle? Lmao, you are too cute! Well Ms. Sniffle, I don't have a cure for your bad cold, but I think I may have a way to make you feel a little better. E.**_

_**Oh yeah, and what would that be? B.**_

_**Laughter! Knock, knock… E.**_

_**Who's there? B.**_

_**Etch… E.**_

_**Etch who? B.**_

_**Bless you! E.**_

_**Oh God, that was terrible! B.**_

_**But I bet you're laughing! E.**_

_**Well, yeah because it was so bad… B.**_

_**That it made you laugh, right? E.**_

_**I guess. B.**_

_**Knock, knock… E.**_

_**Who's there? B.**_

_**A pile-up… E.**_

_**A pile-up who? B.**_

_**Ewwwww, that's disgusting Edward! B.**_

_**You said it not me, but, again, I bet you're laughing. E.**_

_**Knock, knock… E.**_

_**Who's there? B.**_

_**I am… E.**_

_**I am who? B.**_

_**You mean you don't know who you are? E.**_

_**These jokes are really bad! B.**_

_**And I bet you're still laughing! E.**_

_**Edward, these jokes are so dumb you can't help but laugh! B.**_

_**Exactly! E.**_

This went on for the next fifteen minutes and though I was not kidding when I said those jokes were dumb, I had to admit that I was definitely laughing. I felt so much better, miraculously!

_**Where are you? Are you home yet? You've been driving a while now. B.**_

_**Why, are you sick of talking to me already? No, I'm not home yet. E.**_

_**No not at all, I like talking to you! I was just wondering because you mentioned you were driving home earlier. B.**_

_**Ah I see, well I just parked my car. E.**_

_**Knock, knock… E.**_

_**Who's there? B.**_

_**Radio… E.**_

_**Radio who? B.**_

_**Radi-o not here I come. E. **_

_**Okay enough with the knock, knock jokes; I don't know if I can laugh anymore! Did you forget I'm sick? I should be resting, Edward! B.**_

_**Okay, okay, one more, knock, knock… E.**_

There were two small knocks at my front door as he said that, causing me to jump and look at my front door. I got up and slowly walked to it and stood by the door.

"Who's there?"

"Adore."

My heart skipped a beat when I heard Edward's voice on the other side of my door and a smile graced my face.

"Adore who?" I asked, barely able to contain my elation.

"Adore is between us, please open up."

My heart melted and I slowly opened the door just enough to look into the most mesmerizing eyes I had ever seen. He was smiling that crooked grin that I liked, and he was holding up a bag from the grocery store.

"Hi." I said, smiling at him.

"Hi."

"I didn't know you were coming over."

"I know, I apologize… I can leave if you don't…"

NO! I mean, it's just that I'm in my pajamas." I added quickly, not wanting him to leave.

"Alright… are you indecent?"

"No, not at all."

"Then, if you don't mind, I don't either." He responded, still smiling.

I opened up the door wider and stepped back so that Edward could come in.

"What's in the bag?" I asked, as I closed the door.

"I stopped by my friend's sub shop and got you some of his famous chicken noodle soup; it's the best." He beamed.

"That looks like more than soup in that bag."

"Oh, and I also got you some throat lozenges, Kleenex with lotion for your nose, and a box of peppermint tea from the convenience store next door to his shop." He said, as he walked into my kitchen and I followed him.

He sat the bag on my counter and began to empty the contents.

"Hey I know that logo on the soup anywhere; that's from Peter's Sub shop!" I stated as I looked at the large container of soup.

"Yeah, Peter is a friend of mine." He stated simply.

"I use to eat lunch there often when I was working." I replied, feeling a little sad by the memory of losing my job.

"_When_ you were working? Does that mean you're not working now?" Edward asked, turning to look at me.

"No, I'm not; that's what I was so upset about the day you met me. I was out with my two best friends, Alice and Tanya. They took me out hoping to make me feel better and forget about losing my job, but as you saw at the end of the night, they did not succeed. I love them anyway for trying." I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"So, you really weren't upset about getting dumped…er…I mean, about a guy?" He asked, clearly putting his foot in his mouth in the process.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his 'man moment'. I mean, of course if a woman is upset it has to be over one of them, right? Geez, they have such one track minds.

"No, Edward, I was not upset about being dumped or anything else that had to do with the male gender. I was upset because after eight loyal years at the company I worked for, doing a job that I happen to love, I was replaced by a bimbo with a nice rack and set of gifted lips, if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean; you were fired for not prostituting yourself out, essentially."

"Well, I guess that's one way to look at it." I responded, a little taken aback by his bluntness.

"It's the only way to look at it; women or men who sleep their way to the top of any company, are nothing more than prostitutes that sit in offices instead of standing on a corner. It's like the housewife who becomes an alcoholic, but lives in a nice home because her husband works everyday or the husband who does drugs whose wife gets up and goes to work each day. The housewife is no less of an alcoholic than the man who stands in front of the liquor store begging for change and the husband is no less of an addict than the woman sleeping in the crack house; they just live in better conditions at someone else's expense. In this particular case, it was at _your_ expense." He finished, while searching through my cabinets until he found my dishes and pulled down one of my bowls with a matching mug.

He then opened up the large container of soup and poured a generous portion into the bowl. As I sat down at the table, he placed the bowl of hot chicken noodle soup in front of me with a spoon. We continued to talk while he filled the mug with water and heated it in my microwave before fixing me a cup of the peppermint tea. After he was finished, he sat with me at the table while I ate and I could not think of anywhere or anyone I wanted to be with more at that moment. His sweet gestures and simple acts of kindness, warmed my heart and made me feel safe and well taken care of. In my mind, I knew I should not feel this comfortable with someone I had known for less than a week, but my heart did not agree, at all. So, for once, I let go of my fears, put on my big girl panties, and lived in the moment. After I finished, Edward placed my bowl and mug in the sink and put the leftover soup in my fridge.

"You can maybe eat the rest for lunch tomorrow." He said, after closing the door to the fridge.

"Thank you, I really appreciate you doing all this for me; you keep this up and I'll get spoiled between this and being chauffeured around in a limo." I told him while smiling and he smiled back. I turned to walk back into the living room, thinking maybe we could watch a movie from my DVD collection. But, when I sat on the couch, I saw Edward standing by the door and my heart sank. I was not ready for him to leave yet and panic set in.

"Hey, you're not leaving me already are you?" I asked, trying to hide the anxiety in my voice.

"I don't want to wear out my welcome; I just wanted to bring you something to eat and make sure you were okay for the night. Now, I'll let you rest and maybe I can call you tomorrow and check on you again?"

His last statement came out more like a question and my mind went into overdrive to come up with a reason for him to stay. After a few moments of pondering different reasons to give him, I decided to go with just being honest.

"I don't want you to go…I mean, I'm not ready for you to leave just yet and you are not wearing out your welcome. I thought, you know, maybe we could watch a movie, or I've got NBA2K14 on XBox360, or if you just want to talk we could…"

I was cut off by Edward's finger that he gently placed over my mouth while standing over me, looking into my eyes. I was so busy rambling and looking around the room for things for us to do; I hadn't even noticed him walk over to me.

"Okay, I'll stay if that's what you really want."

I nodded my agreement, while trying to clear the haze that had now replaced my thoughts, leaving me speechless from his touch. As I continued to stare into his eyes, he raised one eyebrow before asking me a question that seemed to amuse him.

"You own an XBox360 and you have NBA2K14?" He stated in disbelief.

I laughed at not only his question, but the expression on his face and so did he. I nodded again as we continued to laugh and he sat down next to me on the couch.

"Forgive me, but, you just don't look like the video game type, so I'm a bit surprised. As much as I would love to beat you in a nice game of basketball, I don't want you to overexert yourself tonight, so let's just watch a movie. We'll save the game for next time." He said with a wink and once again my heart soared.

I let him pick the movie and he picked one of my favorites, with two of my favorite actors; _Crimson Tide_ with Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. As we sat back, watching the movie, I became more and more relaxed and my eyelids became heavier and heavier with each blink I took. I don't know at what point it happened, but sleep eventually won, because, when I woke up, I was lying with my head on a pillow from my couch in Edward's lap and I was facing the TV. I slowly turned over to find that Edward also had fallen asleep with his head back on the couch. My movement caused him to stir too and he looked down into my eyes, while gently massaging the top of my head.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep." I said, looking up at him.

"It's fine, Bella; you were obviously tired and I didn't want to disturb you."

We continued to stare at each other and the next thing he did both surprised me and filled me with joy. He bent over and placed a soft kiss on my forehead and I closed my eyes, relishing in the softness of his lips. When he sat back up, he was smiling and so was I; he continued to rub the top of my head.

"You feel a little warm; do you have anything here for a fever?"

I nodded, unable to form a coherent sentence after the kiss to my forehead.

"Bella?"

"Huh, oh yes, I have Tylenol on my nightstand in my room; I'll go get it." I answered, making a move to get up, but he gently stopped me and said that he would get it.

While waiting for Edward to return, I looked at the clock to see that it was after 3 o clock in the morning. My God, how long did I sleep? We started watching the movie before 9 p.m. After getting me a glass of water, Edward returned with two Tylenols, which I quickly took from him.

"I'm going to head home now and I hope you go to bed and get the rest your body needs to heal."

"My couch is a sofa sleeper." The words were out of my mouth before my brain had time to stop it.

"I mean, it's so late or early depending on how you look at it, and I would worry about you getting home safely, so you are welcome to stay until the morning. It's not a problem at all."

He stood there, staring at me for a few moments without answering at first and I feared that he may have thought I was being clingy.

"That's if you want to stay, of course." I added quickly.

"Bella, do you want me to stay because you would worry, or because you would like me to just be here when you wake up?"

His straightforward question caught me off guard and, initially, I didn't know how to respond, mainly because I didn't know why he was asking. Then, after a few more seconds of deliberating in my mind, I decided once again to go with complete honesty. Big girl panties, I chanted to myself as I took a deep breath and answered his direct question with a direct answer.

"I want you here when I wake up in the morning; if that's okay with you."

"That's more than okay with me." He said smiling and I let out a sigh of relief.

After I told him where the extra blankets and pillow were at, Edward tucked me into bed, placing another soft kiss on my forehead, before heading to bed himself. I stared at the ceiling, thinking about the gorgeous man lying in my living room and I tossed and turned for a while before sleep finally overtook me.

**A/N: So there you go, guys, chapter 7; what did you guys think of it? I hope it was worth the wait and please tell me your thoughts by leaving me a review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Thank you to all my readers that left the wonderful reviews! I LOVE reading them and some of you make me laugh and cry after reading the beautiful things you say about my writing and this story. I was recently promoted at work in the last week and therefore have been working later hours, which have prevented me from posting chapters regularly. I do apologize for the delays. For those that have not please got to www dot twi fanfiction recs dot com (no spaces) and vote for my story, "Till You Love Me" which has been nominated as one of the top 10 stories completed in August 2014! Your support means the world to me and I appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to read any of my stories!**

**And, now chapter 8…**

**Beta'd by the talented princess07890**

**Chapter 8**

**Good Morning Sunshine**

**BPOV**

I felt cozy and warm, and the smell of something delicious assaulted my nose. I could feel a light breeze and something soft, like a feather, brushing gently against my face. I smiled to myself, because I couldn't remember the last time that I felt so relaxed and at peace; then I heard his voice. At first I thought it was a wonderful dream. Yes, I was dreaming that Edward was calling my name. What a beautiful sound it was.

"Bella, wake up, please, there is someone coming in your front door!"

I jolted up, hearing the panic in Edward's voice and realized I was dreaming about Edward, but he was also really here, calling my name.

"Huh, what? Edward, where's your shirt?" I asked him as I tried to get my bearings while sitting up on both elbows. My eyes were fixated on Edward's perfect, smooth, and muscular chest that was only inches away from my face because he was leaning over me.

"I slept without it, but there is someone coming…" He trailed off.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" That would be my best friend, Alice.

"Well, good morning to you too, sunshine. It looks like somebody feels much better!" Yeah, and that would be my other best friend, Tanya.

My two best friends stood there by my bedroom door both with their arms crossed over their chests. It was at that moment that I realized Edward was still leaning over me, shirtless. My head was pounding; contrary to how things appeared to my friends, I did not feel better, at all. I plopped back down on my pillow, throwing my arm over my eyes, not wanting to deal with having to explain Edward's presence in my bedroom. Did I mention he was shirtless?

"Hey, good morning, how do you feel? Are you okay?" I heard Edward whisper close to my ear and I quickly shook my head.

"I didn't think so; I'm going to make you some hot tea and a light breakfast, okay?"

I nodded in response, not able to speak just yet.

"Excuse me ladies." I heard Edward say as he exited my bedroom and then I heard the door close.

I slowly removed my arm from over my eyes, praying that I had only imagined that my two best friends were standing in my bedroom waiting on an explanation. But when I opened my eyes and saw the two of them still standing in the same spots, complete with one eyebrow quirked, I knew I had no such luck.

"Okay, what do you want to know?" I said, staring back and forth between the two of them.

"What magazine did he fall out of?" Tanya asked, while coming to sit on my bed

"Seriously, Bella, how could you keep _him_ a secret?" Alice asked while joining Tanya at the end of the bed.

"First of all, he did not fall out of any magazine; it was more like a limo. Second of all, I have not been keeping him a secret; he stopped by to check on me yesterday and he only stayed over because it was late and I didn't want him driving home late. That's it, end of story."

"Wait, _that's_ the limo driver whose car you got into the night we went to the club?!" Alice questioned, her voice raising an octave.

"Yes, and please keep your voice down, Alice." I scolded her.

"Oh, Bella, _now_ I know why you let him carry you upstairs."

"It's not like that, Alice."

"Then, what _is_ it like? I mean, Bella, honestly, we walked in to find a half dressed _Adonis_ leaning over you in your bed, asking you how do you feel, and offering to make you tea and breakfast. What else are we supposed to think?" Tanya asked, shrugging her shoulders.

I guess they had a point, but right now I did not have the energy to explain any of it. All I wanted to do was go back to sleep.

"Guys, I promise you I will tell you everything, but not today. I need to rest so that I can get rid of this cold."

"Okay, honey, we will let you rest; are you sure you don't need us to stay with you?" Alice now had a concerned look on her face.

"No, I'll be fine guys, really." I said, offering them both a small smile to try and convince them that I would be okay and they did not need to stick around.

"If you say so, Bella; but promise me you'll call us if that changes."

"Guys, I promise, now get out and let me rest!"

Thankfully, they did just that. After they were gone, I slowly got up to make my way to the bathroom to freshen up a bit; however, I didn't make it very far. As I tried to make my way out of my bedroom, Edward came down the hall carrying a plate of eggs with toast and a cup of hot tea.

"Bella, you are supposed to be resting; why are you out of bed?"

"I just wanted to freshen up, wash my face, and brush my teeth."

"You can do that _after_ you get some food in your system, alright?" He asked, while nudging me back into my bedroom.

I didn't have the strength to argue back, so I simply complied. I made my way back to my bed and crawled back under the covers. Edward sat on the bed right next to me. I reached for the plate, but Edward had another idea in mind. He lifted up a fork full of eggs to my mouth and was actually waiting for me to open it.

"What are you doing?" I questioned, while I chuckled at the thought of him feeding me.

"I am taking care of a sick friend, now, open up." He stated, as if this was an everyday normal thing for an adult man to feed an adult woman who was perfectly capable of feeding herself. Not to mention, we only just met less than a week ago.

"Uh, Edward, I really appreciate you fixing me breakfast and I think it's the really sweet that you want to take care of my, but it's reall…"

I sat there wide eyed, because in the middle of me talking, Edward somehow managed to get that fork full of eggs into my mouth, effectively shutting me up. What was more surprising was that the eggs were delicious! I don't know what he put in them, but they were probably the tastiest eggs I've ever had. I slowly chewed, savoring the flavor, and when he held up another forkful, I eagerly ate them.

"These eggs are delicious; what did you put in them?"

"Oh a little of this and a little of that." He answered, smiling.

After finishing my breakfast and tea, I took a couple more Tylenols and headed for the shower. Edward was a complete gentleman, allowing me my privacy by leaving my apartment for an hour and running home to shower and change clothes himself. We had agreed that he would come back over and we would hang out with each other for the day and maybe even attempt to watch another movie. I realized that, for the first time in a while, I had slept all through the night. Having Edward there, though not in the same room, somehow made me feel safer. The last time I remember having that feeling was when I still lived at home with my parents; my dad was always my security growing up and I always knew, no matter what, he would protect me. Edward came back a little over an hour later, and I was nice and cozy in a fresh pair of pajamas with my hair pulled up into a messy ponytail.

"So, a Marketing Director, huh?" Edward asked, as we sat playing our third game of Uno.

"Yep, I was the Director over Marketing and Advertising, that is until the whore started working on _'special projects'_ for the boss well into the wee hours of the night."

Edward chuckled while shaking his head, before dropping a 'Draw Four' card on the table.

"Hey, that's the second 'Draw Four' you've put down!" I yelled.

"Yeah, that's allowed." He said, smirking.

"I think you're cheating."

"How? Bella, it's Uno, not poker; why would I want to cheat? There's no wager on the table."

"Well, maybe there should be." I regretted my statement the moment it left my mouth. I looked at Edward, who was now leaning back in his chair with one eyebrow raised and that gorgeous crooked grin perfectly in place.

"Be careful what you ask for, Miss Swan."

"Pft, what is that suppose to mean? I'm not afraid of you, Mr. Cullen." Geez, Bella, where's the filter? Shut up already!

Edward jerked his head back as if he had been slapped before tilting it to the side as if he were studying me. My heart started beating faster and the lump in my throat became hard to swallow. His green eyes were piercing through me and I wondered if he could hear how hard and fast my heart was beating.

"Okay, Bella, wager it is; what would the beautiful Bella like _if_ she wins?" He asked, with a cocky grin in place.

"Well, Edward, _**when**_ you lose, I get to pick the movie and the take out for tonight."

"Fair enough, and if you lose…" He inquired.

"I guess fair is fair; so, what would the charming Edward want _if_ he wins?" I said, grinning like a fool, because, at that moment, I realized I was flirting with him and I think he realized it, too.

His next statement made my heart speed up even more and my breath hitched.

"The charming Edward would like a kiss." He stated, as he sat very still, waiting for my reaction.

I bit my bottom lip while looking down at my hands that were in my lap. My brain desperately searched for a response, but, the longer I sat there, nothing came to mind. The truth of the matter was, I wanted Edward to kiss me and that's what confused me to no end. When did I go from enjoying his company to wanting to kiss him? As I continued to stare down at my lap, I saw Edward stand up and walk over to me. As I looked up at him, he reached his hand out for me to take. I slowly placed my hand into his, and he gently pulled me to my feet and wrapped his hands around my waist, holding me close to him. My heart felt as if it would jump out of my chest and I feared he would now feel it. His scent was heavenly and the longer I looked up into his eyes, the more I lost my resolve to just be Edward's "_casual"_ friend.

"Tell me what you're thinking, Bella; are you afraid of me?" He bent down and whispered in my ear.

I didn't trust voice enough to give a verbal response, so I just shook my head. Nervous, because, I wanted to kiss Edward just as much as he wanted to kiss me, yeah, but I was definitely not afraid.

"Good." And with that he tilted my chin up with his finger and gently pressed his lips to mine. As I closed my eyes, I saw fireworks and shooting stars; just like in the movies!

At my age, that reaction may sound a little too dramatic, but the truth was, I'd dated my share of guys, even had what would be considered "serious relationships", but none of them, no not one ever made me feel like this from a simple kiss. I slowly wrapped my arms around Edward's waist as he continued to press his lips firmly against mine. When he swiped his soft tongue across my bottom lip, my mouth took on a mind of its own and my lips instantly parted, allowing him access. At first he was gentle, but then the longer we kissed the more passion I felt. I kept waiting for someone to say _"cut, that's a wrap folks"_, because this moment felt like a scene out of a movie.

He slowly pulled back until his mouth was no longer touching mine and I immediately felt the loss, letting out a small whimper. This seemed to amuse Edward. He chuckled as he lay his forehead against mine, staring into my eyes.

"Hey you." He whispered, smiling down at me.

"Hey." I whispered back.

"I kind of cheated, but, I did win two out of the three games we played, if that's any consolation."

"Technically, the third game is still going."

"I did say two out of three; I gave you that third game a long time ago."

"Sooo, what now?"

"So, pick a movie."

"But, I'm not the winner…"

"You are in my book." Edward replied, cutting me off.

After a few more kisses, we snuggled up on the couch to watch the movie of my choosing. I smiled to myself as I thought about how much I really liked having Edward here with me. As he wrapped both of his arms around me, I leaned back against his chest and relaxed for the first time in days.

**A/N: Finally, they kiss! Yay! Hope you guys enjoyed chapter 8 and please leave me your thoughts in a review. I will try to get chapter 9 finish and posted as soon as possible. Thanks again for all your support.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Thank you to all my readers that left the wonderful reviews! I LOVE reading them and some of you make me laugh and cry after reading the beautiful things you say about my writing and this story. Only 1 more day to go until the polls close! For those that have not please got to www dot twi fanfiction recs dot com (no spaces) and vote for my story, "Till You Love Me" which has been nominated as one of the top 10 stories completed in August 2014! Your support means the world to me and I appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to read any of my stories!**

**And, now chapter 9…**

**Beta'd by the wonderful, princess07890**

**Chapter 9**

**Planes, Trains, and Limos?**

**BPOV**

As I rode down in the elevator, I took in a couple of deep breaths to calm my nerves. I had taken the train to downtown Manhattan and had just finished interviewing for an Assistant Director position at a rival marketing and advertisement agency. I felt good about the interview and thought it went well, but, you know how that can go when you are looking for a new job. It had been three weeks since I lost my job; three weeks since I got into the back of Edward's limo. Three weeks since I had experienced the most passionate kiss I'd ever had in my adult life. Three weeks and Edward and I hadn't spent a day apart. Since I was home most of the time now, I had started cooking dinner daily and Edward did not miss a meal. Strangely, I actual enjoyed cooking for him and looked forward to him coming over for dinner. He had stayed over on a few occasions, but he always slept on the couch and I slept in my bedroom. There was one occasion when he lay on the carpet on the side of my bed and I offered him one of my pillows for comfort; we both fell asleep while talking and stayed in our respective places all night.

I walked out the front of the building into the cool crisp air and pulled the train schedule out of my purse to check for the next train to take me home.

"Need a ride, pretty lady?"

I looked up to see Edward leaning back against his limo, his legs crossed at the ankles, and his hands in his pants pockets. He was the epitome of sexy in his grey suit; he looked more like the client than the driver of the limo. I had never seen him dressed up before because when he got to my house in the evening, he had already changed out of his work clothes.

"Edward, what are you doing here?" I asked, smiling from ear to ear while running towards him and he opened his arms to me. I hadn't realized how much I missed him until that moment and it felt good to feel his arms around me.

"I came to pick you up and take you out to breakfast."

"But, what about work; don't you have clients to pick up?"

"Not today; today, I'm all yours. I thought maybe we could spend the day together, if that's alright with you that is."

I kissed him with all the passion I could muster and could care less about the PDA for those passing by. When I pulled away to look into his eyes, his smile turned my heart into goo and I knew I was in trouble; I was falling for Edward Cullen.

"Is that a yes, ma'am?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" I said laughing while placing pecks of kisses on his face...

As we sat in the restaurant looking over our menus, the waiter brought us two glasses of water.

"I think I am going to get the spinach and mushroom omelet; it looks delicious." I smiled at Edward as I closed my menu.

"No meat? Well I'm going to do the opposite, and have the steak omelet, with extra steak."

"No, Edward; that's just greedy, don't you think?"

"No, a growing boy needs to eat."

"So, what else do you have planned for us today?"

"I didn't really plan the day; I thought we'd just play it by ear, unless, maybe, you have somewhere you would like to go?" He asked, as he reached for my hand across the table.

As we sat casually talking and laughing, a thin, young woman, with dark hair walked up to our table with a confused look on her face. I saw her first and when Edward followed the direction of my eyes, two things happened that caught me totally off guard. First, Edward immediately withdrew his hand from mine, and second he slid his chair back and stood up to address the woman.

"Well, I guess I know why I haven't heard from you; and I thought you really never have time for breakfast and that's why you didn't go out?" The woman stated, sounding more hurt than angry.

"Bree, I was going to talk to you, but I just haven't had a chance to."

"And, yet you had time for breakfast…" She trailed off as she turned to look at me.

"Hello, I'm Bree Tanner, Edward's… I don't know, Edward, what am I?" She said with a trembling voice.

I didn't know how to feel, as I listened to the defeated tone coming from this woman who had obviously been intimately involved very recently with the man I was now falling for. As I looked over at Edward, I saw something in him I had never seen before, uncertainty; my heart fell to my feet, because was this look coming from him due to him still having feelings for this woman.

"I'm Bella; Edward, you two clearly need to talk so I'm just going…"

"Bella no… just…just don't leave, please; Bree, I apologize, but for the record, I have never mislead you or fed you lies about where we stood. Can we please, just… not do this here, now? I promise I'll call you and we will talk, but this isn't the time or place for this, please."

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity and I felt as if I was an intruder at that moment. Bree blinked a few times before turning her attention back to me.

"It was nice meeting you, Bella." She said, as a tear rolled down her cheek and then she gracefully walked away.

I was frozen with not a clear thought in my head and I could not tear my eyes from her until she was out of my line of vision. I hadn't even noticed that Edward had sat back down and was holding my hand again. I turned my head back to Edward and finally looked down at our joined hands; I quickly snatched my hand away, because, out of all the things I was feeling right now, romance wasn't one of them.

"Bella, I am so sorry; I never meant for this to happen. I had every intention on telling you about Bree, but when I see you it's always after work and I don't want to spend our evenings together discussing past relationships."

"Edward, it sounds like the only one who knew the relationship was in the past is you!"

I whisper yelled, as I stood to leave the restaurant, because, I suddenly had no appetite. I grabbed my purse and walked out of the same door Bree had walk out of not even five minutes ago. One advantage of living in New York is you never had trouble finding a taxi. Just as I opened the back door to get in, Edward grabbed me by the arm to stop me.

"Bella, sweetheart, please, at least let me drive you home or wherever you want to go; just don't leave like this. I know I went about this the wrong way, but let me make it right; give me a chance to make this right."

"I can't right now, Edward… I just… I need to just leave, okay? I can't talk to you right now." I replied, and swiftly jumped in the taxi, not trusting my voice anymore or the treacherous tears that were now rolling down my cheeks.

I gave the taxi driver the address to my apartment as he pulled away from the curb. I didn't know if I was hurt, angry, disappointed, scared, or all of the above; I just knew I really cared about Edward and the thought of not seeing him anymore was a painful and unpleasant one, but, then again, so was the thought of possibly sharing him.

**A/N: Don't hate me or Edward! This is real life situations and most of us can relate to these kinds of awkward of encounters with the **_**"EX" **_**and how men can leave unintentionally leave unfinished business**_**. **_**I promise you Edward is not a slime ball, just human, and he will make this right. I know this chapter was short and apologize for that. I will try to get another out as soon as possible. Please leave your thoughts in a review and please don't forget to go online and vote for my story "Till You Love Me"**__**at www dot twi fanfictions recs dot com (no spaces) for top 10 finished stories in August; polls close in 1 DAY! Thanks again!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Twilight are owned by the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

**Thank you to all my readers that left the wonderful reviews! I LOVE reading them and some of you make me laugh and cry after reading the beautiful things you say about my writing and this story. Your support means the world to me and I appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to read any of my stories!**

**And, now chapter 10…**

**Beta'd by the beautiful, princess07890**

**Chapter 10**

**Past and Present Collide**

**EPOV**

"Wait, let me get this straight; you never told Bree that you didn't want to see her again. So for the last almost month, she has been under the impression that, at the very least, you guys are still dating, even if there was no commitment. To top this off, you meet this new girl who _accidentally_ got into the back of your limo, and you two have not spent a full twenty four hours away from one another since, until now; did I get that right?"

I nodded my head while taking a drink from my beer. Jake and I were at a local bar having a drink since he has just returned to New York from California for the last time in a while. He hadn't had a chance to meet Bella because he was still relocating his things from back home and wrapping up things with the military concerning his discharge.

"Dude, have I not taught you anything? Women's hearts have to be handled with the same care as you would give a newborn baby. Gently, with much consideration; yes, Bree is young and even if she were not, she's just not the type of girl _you_ would have a future with; I'll give you that. You were always honest about your intentions. However, that doesn't mean her feelings for you did not grow, as you have now found out, and you need to talk to her; you owe her that much. Yes, her feelings will still be hurt, but, at least she will know you cared and respected her enough to face her. Now, as far as the new chick, you're on your own. She is not young and you may have messed up with that one. How long has it been since this happened?"

"Four days." I said, running my hand through my hair.

"Wow, and she still won't respond to a text or call? Yeah, she's pissed."

"I know that, Jake; the question is what do I do to get her to respond?" I asked, annoyed.

"Hey, don't get aggravated with me; you're the dumbass that started one thing without ending another."

"Yeah, we established that, now tell me how the hell to get this girl to talk to me."

"I don't know, send her flowers or something." Jake replied, picking up his beer and taking a sip, before heading to the restroom.

My phone vibrated on my side and I quickly answered it, hoping it was Bella, but no such luck. It was Grandma Cullen, my grandmother on my dad's side.

"Hey Grandma Cullen, how are you?"

"I would be better if my only grandson came to visit me more often. What have you been up to?" She questioned and I felt guilty for not going to see her this past month.

"I'm so sorry, Grandma, and I have no excuse at all; hold on a sec Grandma." I said, muting my cell phone as I saw Jake coming back from the restroom.

"Don't tell me you called her from a freaking bar, dude!" Jake exclaimed, loudly as he approached me.

"No, you moron, it's my grandmother; I'll catch up with you tomorrow man, I'm heading home." I told him while placing money on the bar for my tab.

I unmuted the phone once I reached my car so I could resume my conversation with my grandmother.

"Hey grandma, I'm back now; how about I stop by and see you now? Would that be okay?" I asked, while pulling out from my parking space.

"I'm always ready to see my only grandson."

Twenty minutes later, I pulled up in front of my grandmother's house and made my way in.

"There's my handsome grandson; come give your grandmother a hug."

"Hey, Grandma, how are you?" I said, while bending down to give her a hug and a kiss on her cheek.

My grandmother was more than a foot shorter than me, standing only five foot one. My grandfather, on the other hand, is where my father and I got all of our height from; he was six feet four. To see the two of them standing next to one another is a pretty amusing sight sometimes, especially when my grandmother is fussing at him. I call him the 'Gentle Giant' because when it comes to Grandpa Cullen's family, he wouldn't lift a hand to you unless it was to hug you.

"I'm better now that my grandson has come to see me." She replied smiling.

My grandmother was a mixture of Irish and Native American and my grandfather was Irish. While my grandmother was born right here in the U.S., my grandfather's parents did not move here until he was three. Needless to say, this is the only home he knew and remembered.

"Something smells good; did you bake a cake, grandma?"

"No, brownies, help yourself." She smiled, as she followed me into the kitchen.

"Well, well, well; look what the cat dragged in." My grandpa said, causing me to turn around.

"Grandpa, I was just going to ask where you were; how do you feel?"

"I'm great, I…"

"He is not great and he refuses to rest like his doctor has instructed him to. The doctor said his blood pressure has been a little higher than usual, so he put him on meds to control it and instructed him to take it easy. Your grandfather's idea of taking it easy is sliding under that car in the garage and stressing about how to get it running again."

"That does not stress me, it relaxes me! Would you tell your grandmother that's how a man relaxes; we fix cars, go fishing, and watch sports…"

"How could you possibly relax while yelling at the TV every five minutes? Besides, there is nothing relaxing about lying on your back under a car for hours on end? The doctor was very specific when he said _bed_ rest."

This bickering between them went on for another thirty minutes; by the time they were finished; I had finished two brownies and a glass of milk.

"You're both right, okay?" They both immediately stopped talking and turned to look at me.

"What?" They both responded in unison.

"I said, you are both right; grandpa, if the doctor has instructed you to take it easy and to not do too much, you probably should not be working on your car every day. Try not to get too excited while watching sports on TV; after all they are just games." He nodded while taking a seat at the kitchen table.

"Grandma, on the other hand, Grandpa is right; if he enjoys working on his car, watching sports, and fishing, those activities are probably not as stressful as they look, so give him a break."

"Oh dear; Richard, when did our grandson become wiser than us? Here we are fussing at each other over nothing." My grandmother stated while giving my grandfather a hug and a peck on the lips.

"No, you're right, darling, I know I need to rest more. Thank you for always looking out for me." He said, wrapping his arms around her.

I looked at my grandparents, and marveled at the fact that they have had their ups and downs, but after fifty one years of marriage, they were still unbelievably in love. I wondered if I could ever love someone that much and for that long? How do you give your heart to just one person for the rest of your life with the promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect them? How do you sustain that love, the passion, and the romance? I remember my dad telling me that one important, key thing to a successful relationship of any kind, is honesty; and to this very day I've always strived for that. I know there are more components than that, but my dad never got the chance to completely have that talk with me. I was broke out of my wondering thoughts by my grandfather's voice.

"Edward, what are you concentrating on so hard over there? No one as young as you should look so worried."

I looked up to find my grandmother had left the kitchen and I was in the company of just my grandfather. He stared at me with a curious expression, obviously waiting for a response to his question; so I decided to ask for some advice. I mean, he had been married for _**fifty one**_ years; he had to know a thing or two about relationships.

"I messed up grandpa; at least I think I did." I replied, looking down at the floor.

"Did you cheat?" he asked, while taking a seat next to me.

"How did you know it…?"

"It was about a woman…" He said, more like a statement than question, cutting me off.

"Because I'm seventy four years old and I've loved the same woman for more than half of my life; and that look on your face could only come from a woman who has your heart."

I shook my head and chuckled at his words.

"No one has my heart, grandpa."

"Oh, she does; you're just too dumb to know it yet."

"Grandpa!"

"You still did not answer my question; did you cheat?"

"No, no, grandpa, I didn't cheat."

"Did you lie?"

"No."

"Then, whatever it is, you can fix."

"That's the problem; I don't know how."

"Tell me what happened."

So, for the next hour, I explained to my grandfather my relationship with Bree and the one I'm trying to develop with Bella.

"Edward, your situation is not that bad; you just went about it the wrong way. I know you told Bree you didn't want to be in a committed relationship, but, evidently, you continued to sleep with her and gave her some kind of hope that you may eventually make a commitment to her. Then, you started seeing someone else and you technically never let Bree know that you did not want to see her again. Omitting information and avoiding contact, are just as bad as lying and cheating. Instead of facing Bree and telling her you could not see her anymore, you avoided her, and instead of telling Bella you had been seeing someone else before her, you omitted the information."

"I get it, grandpa."

Once I finish talking to my grandfather, I could see how both women could be upset about how I handled things. The first thing I did after leaving my grandparent's house was call Bree to see if she would meet me for a cup of coffee tomorrow morning. But, in the meantime, I went home and got some much needed rest.

OOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOO

When I walked into Starbucks, Bree was already seated at a table; I ordered my usual and what I remembered to be her usual before joining her.

"Hello, Edward, how are you?" She greeted me with a pleasant smile, which only made me feel even worse than I already did.

"I'm well, Bree, and you?"

"That depends; did you come here to break my heart?"

I looked down at the cup of coffee I was holding and heavily sighed before responding.

"That's not fair, Bree; I never asked for your heart. I was always honest and upfront with you from the very beginning. I told you I had just come out of a really bad break up and I wasn't looking for anything serious and you agreed."

"We've been sleeping together for over six months now and I just thought, after all this time, you felt different; but then you stopped coming around and calling as often. Every time I asked if something was wrong, you never said anything. So I thought you just needed time and then I saw you out with someone else."

"I care about you, Bree, and that's why I stopped, so that _this_ wouldn't happen."

We were silent for a while, both lost in our thoughts.

"Bree, do you remember the last few times we hung out and you said something was different about me; you said I hadn't touched you in weeks. At the time, I didn't respond, because I didn't know how to. Well, now I do; I hadn't touched you because I knew that my feelings were not going in the same direction as yours and I never wanted to make you feel like I used you. Yes, we slept together for over six months, but I haven't touched you in over two months and this is why; I never wanted to hurt you, Bree. You're a beautiful girl; young, smart, tenacious, and you will find a guy who is going to love you to pieces one day, I promise."

She nodded while pondering my words and I prayed that she understood my intentions were to never hurt her.

"She's very pretty; I can see why you are pursuing her." Bree stated, shocking me.

"Yeah, well, I may have blown that, too" I replied taking a sip from my coffee.

"Just apologize and she'll listen; we women can be a bit stubborn sometimes, but if we truly care about you, we have very forgiving hearts."

"Thanks, Bree, I appreciate that."

We finished our coffees and said our goodbyes, before departing our separate ways. I headed to the Hallmark store and bought Bella a card that showed how sorry I was and then went to a florist and picked up some Pink Azaleas. By the time I reached the front door of Bella's building, my heart was in my throat. I took a couple of calming breaths and proceeded to go inside and went up the stairs to the second floor. After one more deep breath, I knocked and prayed that: one, she was home and, two, that she did not throw me out of her building for showing up unannounced. I was prepared for everything except what happen next. When the door opened my mouth fell open in shock and I felt a mixture of confusion, hurt, anger, jealousy, but most of all shock, all at once.

"Edward? What are you doing here?"

"Jake?!

**A/N: Yeah, very cliffy I know! Bet you didn't see that coming and neither did Edward! Please leave me your thoughts in a review and I can't thank all of you enough for the tremendous support you guys give. I love my readers, you guys are so awesome!**


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